Admit Defeat
by Kisu
Summary: [Sasuke x Naruto] Itachi's death left Sasuke as the youngest gang leader in the history of Ryuujin. But with Orochimaru moving into his territory, he needs help. Fate seems to bring SasuNaru together, but destiny keeps pulling them apart. AU fic. YAOI.
1. Bandages

**_Something to know:_**

_Ryuujin__: "Dragon God" In this case it is the name of Sasuke's gang._

_Shinja__: "Sacred Snake" Orochimaru's gang_

_Gangju__: "gang"_

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me!

**__**

**Admit Defeat**

_Chapter 1: Bandages_

By: Kisu

---

He could feel the eyes on him as he approached his gleaming silver motorcycle that stood in the middle of the road. With loving hands, he caressed its curves and a small smile crept upon his lips as he marveled at its beauty. He glanced up, staring at the pattern of street lights that decorated the sides of the lone road with its hazy yellow hue.

He glanced over at his opponent with eyes that seemed to burn like coals, and in one fluid motion, straddled the motorcycle. A matching silver helmet was carefully lowered onto hair as dark as the night skies.

At once, the mob of people around him separated into two sides. The cheering and yelling from both sidelines were calmly blocked out as he narrowed his eyes on the road. He winced when the screaming of fan girls raised a few octaves and gripped the handlebars.

That movement sent his back muscles rippling and proudly displayed the silver dragon on the back of his shirt.

He was Uchiha Sasuke and the gang leader of the Ryuujin. The Ryuujin was one of the greatest gangs in history that had been established by the first head of the Uchiha Clan: his grandfather.

Currently he was the youngest gang leader and clan leader in all of Konoha history. But it wasn't like he had a choice since a decade ago; his older brother had been brutally killed and relinquished the position to him.

"Good luck, Boss!" His bike tech yelled over the roar of the crowd as he patted him on the shoulder.

His lips slowly spread into a smirk.

He didn't need luck.

The man he was competing against had silver hair and shifty blue eyes. He was the most loyal to Orochimaru. Their gang, Shinja, was currently trying to take over the grounds that the Ryuujin had held for over a century. He didn't like the man, just like he didn't like Orochimaru. They were true to their name - like snakes.

Maybe that's why their logo was the cobra.

He frowned at the man who was sitting next to him on his black motorcycle.

What was his name again?

Ah…that's right.

Kabuto.

The cheering suddenly died down and the crowd watched in anticipation as a girl walked out from the crowd. Her hair was an unusual bubble-gum pink color and fell around her shoulders. She wore a simple red Chinese dress, made from extremely fine material with twin silver dragons running down the sides. Her lips curved into a smile and she raised her arm, a lone white handkerchief fluttering in her hand.

Then she brought it down.

The roar of the crowd rose once again and the two bikers tore off into the streets of the red-light district, leaving nothing but a cloud of smoke.

---

"Dr. Uzumaki!" A hand grasped his shoulder and shook. "Doctor!"

The blonde man opened his eyes groggily before sitting up and retrieving his pair of black wire-rimmed glasses. He rubbed his eyes and slipped them on, peering up at the nurse. "Hinata, what is it?" He yawned, covering his mouth with a hand.

He had been supervising the late night shift and must have dozed off while trying to complete some paperwork.

"A patient has been brought in but Dr. Tsunade is currently in E.R." The nurse told him with worry. Naruto slowly stood up and frowned. He was still in training, having recently graduated from med. school.

"I can't-." Naruto began.

"You must! There are no other doctors who are available!" Hinata replied, anxiously. "Don't worry; I can talk to Dr. Tsunade later."

"All right," he sighed. But before the words were out of his mouth, Hinata was already running down the hallway with her hand firmly clasped on his wrist. No wonder she was the head nurse for the short-tempered surgeon.

They appeared in the emergency ward where the ambulance had just brought in their latest load and Hinata walked over, pulling back the curtain. An unconscious man was lying on the bed and Naruto took in his appearance. He had various bruises and cuts, maybe a few scrapes.

"What happened?" he asked, still examining the man.

Somehow he looked familiar but he couldn't place it…

"He was involved in a gang-related racing." Hinata said. "His name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Uchiha?" Naruto repeated, absently. No wonder he had looked familiar. It was Sasuke.

_His_ Sasuke.

He shook his head and kept an irritated frown from crossing his face.

"Broken arm and fractured ribs." Hinata continued, looking at her clipboard.

"Is there any internal bleeding?" Naruto asked.

"None," she replied. Naruto nodded slowly.

"Okay let's bandage him up." He responded and Hinata quickly went to get the supplies.

To his dismay, his patient stirred and slowly opened his dark ebony eyes. He blinked several times and reached up.

"Are you an angel?" He asked, softly.

"No. I'm your doctor." Naruto said with amusement. "That was some accident you got into, Uchiha. I'm surprised you got away without any serious injuries." His voice lowered. "Besides, it's not like you to get into accidents."

---

That voice was familiar. Sasuke bolted up in bed and winced as a wave of pain crashed down on his senses. He moved his good arm and touched his side gingerly.

"The patient shouldn't move." It was the same voice, only irritated now. Gentle hands touched him and he looked up, his breath caught in his throat.

"Naruto?" he whispered.

"Yeah, it's me. Now lie down before you hurt yourself." The blonde replied with slight annoyance. Was the annoyance because of the sight of him? Or was it because he was hurt? Sasuke slid back down onto the hospital bed and gazed up at him. Naruto calmly met his gaze.

"So this is what you've been doing?" Sasuke prompted.

"Yes." Naruto smiled.

"After you left the gang - things went downhill." Sasuke said, searching his eyes.

"Oh?" His response didn't give anything away.

"Orochimaru is moving into our territory." Sasuke continued.

"Then take him out." Naruto replied, casually.

"I can't. I'm losing control of the gang." Sasuke frowned. "I found out who killed Itachi." Naruto tensed up and slowly resumed flipping through the pages in Hinata's clipboard. "Orochimaru killed him."

Naruto's blood ran cold. Orochimaru? His blue eyes darkened to a frightening intensity and Sasuke watched him with hidden interest. The knuckles on the hand that was gripping the clipboard turned white, and then it slowly relaxed returning the blood flow back into them.

"Doctor!" Hinata came back with the necessary materials.

"Thanks, Hinata." Naruto smiled, regaining his composure. "Set them down here." The nurse did as she was told. "I have to take off your shirt, Sasuke." He walked over to him and slowly took off his shirt, minding his broken arm. His eyes lingered on the silver dragon on the back and the small fan symbol on his sleeve.

"Naruto, come back to us." Sasuke whispered for his ears only.

"Hinata, can you clean Mr. Uchiha's cuts?" Naruto asked, ignoring him.

"Of course," she smiled. She walked over to him and they traded places. "This will sting a little."

Sasuke ignored Hinata's gentle administrations and kept his eyes trained on the young doctor. Naruto stood with his back to him, his hands casually shoved in his pockets. The white lab coat hanging off his well-built frame made his fingers itch to smooth the wrinkles from the broad shoulders. Hinata was well aware of the quiet tension in the air and looked up at the young gang leader.

"All done," she said, quietly. Naruto turned around and smiled warmly.

"Thanks." he said as he walked back over to them. Sasuke swallowed and looked away. Before Naruto had left the gang, he had seldom smiled like that. But when he did smile, it was the smile reserved only for him. His heartbeat quickened as Naruto leaned over him and felt his sides, his gentle touch pressing slowly down and examining his ribs. Even his touch was still the same.

"Naruto," he moaned, softly. "Stop."

The blonde pulled back with a quizzical expression on his face. "Did it hurt somewhere?" He asked as he began wrapping bandages around his torso. He leaned over to him to reach around his back and Sasuke inhaled his musky masculine scent.

By instincts, he turned his head up and buried his nose where Naruto's collar was open. He could feel Naruto's pulse quicken and he smiled softly, pressing his lips on his collarbone.

"You're still the only one that I love," he confessed. It had been a long time since he had skin to skin contact with Naruto. But it was the scent of him that could make him drunk alone.

Naruto said nothing and finished the bandages around his chest.

"You should take it easy for a couple days," he told him, in a strangely polite voice.

He sat down on a stool and began the cast on his arm. Hinata stood nearby and handed him the necessary items without a word. They worked in silence and finally Naruto stood up and went over to the sink to wash his hands. Hinata carefully placed his arm in a sling.

"It hasn't completely dried yet," she told him, kindly. She started gathering the supplied as Naruto dried his hands on a towel.

"Make sure you don't get your cast wet." Naruto told him, seriously. "I'll see you back in a few weeks. Hinata, can you give him the paperwork?"

"Of course, doctor." Hinata said, smoothly.

"Do you have anyone who can look after you?" Naruto asked, staring at him with an unerving gaze. He opened his mouth to reply when--

"Sasuke!" The well-timed wail cut through the silence and a girl ran into the room. "Sasuke, are you all right?"

"Yeah," he replied, looking away.

"Can he go now?" The girl asked, anxiously.

"Just after some paperwork, miss." Hinata said, cheerfully.

"Sasuke! You look awful!" she cried, wrapping her arms around him. He winced and she pulled away quickly. She noticed that his gaze wasn't on her and looked up to see a flash of a man disappearing out the door.

The man seemed so familiar and she swore that he had blonde hair and blue eyes.

Could it be?

"Kyuubi?" she murmured, distractedly as her green eyes clouded over.

"Let's go, Sakura." Sasuke prompted as he slid off the bed. Sakura hovered anxiously beside him, hands ready to grab him if he fell. Sasuke managed to scoff inwardly. He wasn't that fragile. "Sakura, fill out the paperwork for me. I'm going to the washroom."

Sakura nodded and smiled encouragingly at him. Sasuke arched a brow before walking out of the room and into the hallway. His eyes quickly scanned the hallway for any sign of the blonde.

He stepped in the way of a nurse and flashed her a smile. After all, who could withstand a sexy Uchiha without his shirt and was currently a patient at the hospital?

"Excuse me, have you seen Dr. Uzumaki?" he asked. The middle-aged woman smiled warmly at him.

"Yes, he's heading to his office." The nurse replied. "It's down the hall and to the right."

"Thank you, Miss." he said, before walking away.

"Nowadays, young men could even charm the socks off of me." The woman shook her head, before continuing her nightly routine throughout the hospital.

---

He found him as he was told, with his back facing him and sitting at his desk. Walking into the office, he quietly shut the door with a soft click and locked it. Naruto turned around quickly and got out of his chair when he realized when he wasn't alone. In the next moment, Sasuke had him pressed against the door. His hot hungry mouth clamped over his. The moment of passion dissolved when Sasuke realized that he was doing all the work and Naruto wasn't cooperating.

"Naruto," he growled as he nuzzled his neck. He was a little peeved at the lack of attention.

"Sasuke." Naruto reasoned, softly. "You're injured." His blue eyes slid down to the sling and he gazed at it with disdain. Sasuke pouted and flopped down into Naruto's chair.

"You're no fun," he frowned. "You don't even want to see me."

Naruto calmly began to collect his papers that he was currently going over and placed them in a neat pile. His irritation grew when the doctor sat down in another chair and took out a pen. Sasuke reached out and "accidentally" swiped them on the floor.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, warningly as he stooped down to pick them up.

"Naruto, I really need you back." he stated, quietly. "You're the only one that I really trust."

"What about Shikamaru?" Naruto asked.

"He's a bike tech." Sasuke frowned at his stupidity.

"He's also a mastermind, no matter how lazy he seems." Naruto replied, evenly. "A bike tech like him is a genius." He placed the neat pile of papers on his desk before settling back in the chair. Taking off his glasses, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, tiredly. "Have Gaara assist you."

"Gaara is gone." Sasuke said, solemnly.

"What?" Naruto stared at him in astonishment. "What do you mean?"

"He's gone." Sasuke repeated, defensively. "He's been missing since you left. We don't know where he went." He narrowed his eyes, angrily. "I tell you, everyone is losing their trust in me."

"I can't help you, Sasuke." Naruto said. "I gave up that life a long time ago."

"Naruto, I don't want any of your bull!" Sasuke snapped. "You can't get rid of your past! What would Itachi think?"

"Itachi's dead." Naruto whispered, his blue eyes frosting over.

"You!" Sasuke hissed, clenching his fist. He turned and slammed it into the wall.

Naruto sighed. Sasuke had always had a wild temper. He took out his first aid kit that he kept handy and took Sasuke's hand away from the wall. Dropping to the familiar task of cleaning Sasuke's knuckles and bandaged the broken skin.

Now, he had to buy a painting to place over that dent. How about a pop culture painting? Presumably one that showcased ramen…

"I hope you can live with yourself after Ryuujin goes down." Sasuke said, quietly after Naruto let go of his hand. "It was Itachi's dream after all." He unlocked the door, and walked out of the office. Naruto sat back in the desk chair that Sasuke had vacated before placing his glasses on top of the desk.

With his other hand, he opened the desk drawer and reached in. The ring that he brought out was silver and had the same familiar symbol of the fan that Sasuke had on his sleeve.

The Uchiha symbol.

His fingers rubbed the ring absently and he placed it back into the drawer.

He couldn't rejoin the gang.

He wouldn't.

Would he?

---

_Kisu._


	2. The Life of an Uchiha

**Disclaimer:** Naruto does not belong to me.

**Admit Defeat**

_Chapter 2: The life of an Uchiha_

By: Kisu

---

"Boss, that looks like a nasty injury."

"Shut up, Kiba."

"Uhm…can I sign it?"

"Kiba!" Sakura hissed before resuming cooing over the gang leader.

"Idiot," Shikamaru muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" Kiba demanded. He shifted to look behind him where a man sat, staring at the screen of a laptop.

"Huh?" Shikamaru looked up with a bored look on his face.

"Sakura, get off my lap." Sasuke frowned.

He felt a headache coming on from all the arguing. The girl with pink hair slid off his lap with a pout and into the empty spot next to him. His eyes scanned the room where his most trusted gang members were sitting around the private room. He frowned and felt the need to cross his arms. But one was in a sling wasn't it?

He bit back a curse.

"You know what you said." Kiba snapped, still stubbornly hanging on to the last comment.

"I didn't say anything." Shikamaru replied, lazily surfing the Internet.

"I saw Naruto today." Sasuke spoke up. This effectively shut them all up and they turned to stare at him in amazement. He arched an eyebrow at them and Chouji was the one to break the silence.

"Kyuubi?" He squeaked while he cleared his throat from a potato chip he had choked on.

"I thought it was him!" Sakura gasped in realization.

---

Naruto had once been one of the most important members in his gang. He had been the right hand man under his leadership. "Kyuubi" was his nickname, taken after a fearsome Nine-Tails demon. A nickname that stuck on him, because when Naruto got into a fight, he fought viciously and was nothing like his good nature. The first time Naruto had heard that nickname he had laughed it off and accepted it.

_"It's kind of cool," he had grinned, while Sasuke stared at him in astonishment._

Naruto was one of the reasons why Sasuke had continued to control the gang after Itachi died. The second reason was Gaara. Gaara had met Naruto in high school and the two immediately hit it off. They had some unspoken connection that made them similar to each other. Personally, Gaara unnerved him with his cold green eyes and shockingly bright red hair. Not to mention the tattoo of the kanji letter "ai" on his forehead.

"It's because we are so much alike, Sasuke." Naruto had once explained to him, seriously. "It's because we are both orphans. But then Ryuujin is our family isn't it?"

Orphans.

The chatter of the gang members faded out, as he turned into his own thoughts.

Naruto had been orphaned at a very young age and Itachi had found him on the streets. He had been five years old and Sasuke had been six. Itachi was thirteen. Naruto had been a quiet boy with bright golden hair and remarkably blue eyes. Sasuke fell in love the moment he saw him.

The five year old had no recollection of his past and due to the abuse he had suffered—they reasoned that his parents had been addicts that died from overdoses. Soon after, with their love, they had brought Naruto out of his shell. His bright personality brightened up the house and even their father, Uchiha Kenji loved him. He was formerly adopted into the family as Uchiha Naruto and once again, their name struck fear in people's hearts.

However, good times never lasted long and Kenji died of a heart attack. Itachi had been twenty one and became the youngest gang leader in history. But then two years later, he was killed and Sasuke took leadership at sixteen.

Naruto became withdrawn after that and he refused to fight again.

One year later, he left without a word.

And things slowly went downhill.

---

"Is he coming back?" Neji asked suddenly. His voice stirred Sasuke's out of his thoughts and they turned to stare at him. Neji was a distant cousin of Sasuke's with no blood relation. He belonged to one of the oldest families of the Ryuujin.

"No." Sasuke replied, flatly.

"What?" Neji narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is he doing that is more important than us?"

"He's a doctor at Konoha Hospital." Sasuke told him, tiredly. Neji leaned back in the couch and draped his arm on the armrest.

"Konoha?" he repeated. "My cousin works as a nurse there."

"Is her name, Hinata?" Sasuke asked as the nurse that had helped patch him up, popped into his head. No wonder she had looked familiar.

"Yeah! She's really pretty!" Kiba chimed in from beside Neji. Neji whipped his head around to face him and slammed his fist down onto Kiba's head.

"Don't go near her." Neji threatened. "We don't need someone like you to taint our lineage." He closed his eyes sighed. "Besides, she's Hiashi's daughter and she likes the residential doctor. Uzu - something."

"Uzumaki." Sasuke supplied while Kiba shivered at the name of Hyuuga Hiashi. Hiashi had an infamous reputation of torturing guys who came on to his daughters.

"Yeah. Uzumaki." Neji repeated with his eyes still closed.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke said, softly. "Uzumaki was Naruto's original last name."

"What if we were to talk to him, Boss?" Chouji asked.

"I don't think it'll help." Sasuke murmured. He sighed and stared at his cast. He had been so careless to race against Kabuto, he knew he should have sent someone else to do the job. Now he was a sitting duck, and was waiting for the hounds and hunters to get to him.

---

"Uchiha Naruto."

The voice crept up behind him and he froze. Then, he swung around wildly. "Who's there?" he demanded, his blue eyes flickering back and forth. The underground garage was dimly lit and there was no one around. Besides, he was tired and he wanted to go home to get some sleep.

"Are you him?"

"No. You got the wrong person." Naruto replied, calmly.

"You are foolish to leave yourself in the open." The voice continued. "You shouldn't walk around without bodyguards."

"I'm a doctor. I don't need bodyguards." Naruto said, arching an eyebrow.

The owner of the voice broke out into laughter. "I will take you hostage in exchange for the death of Uchiha Sasuke."

What was he? A woman? Naruto thought, darkly as he frowned in irritation. He really wanted his bed right now. Why couldn't they leave him alone and capture Sakura or something? He was sure that Sasuke would rescue her.

Well…maybe.

"We know you are very close to the Ryuujin leader." The voice continued. Naruto was very irritated now and he adjusted his glasses as the speaker walked out of the shadows.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," he replied, turning to walk away. "I have no business with you." The other man's eyes glittered and he reached into the folds of his trench coat, drawing out a wicked looking knife.

Then he dove forward and sliced down onto Naruto's exposed back.

---

Hinata stopped to catch her breath. She was in a hurry to catch up to Naruto. Tsunade had called for an early meeting the next morning and it was her job to inform him. She rounded the corner and caught sight of the doctor. No sound came from her lips as she saw a strange man appear behind him. She watched in horror as Naruto continued to walk away, leaving his back exposed.

"Naruto!" she screamed with terror.

The blade of the knife glinted as it came down onto the young doctor's back, ripping through the lab coat and the dress shirt he wore underneath. For a moment, the attacker froze as the exposed eye of the Nine-Tails glared at him.

But that was the moment Naruto needed as he lashed out with a back kick into the man's face. It was followed by a roundhouse kick to the man's side, which brought him down onto the floor. Naruto stood there with his hands in his pockets. He hadn't even broken a sweat.

"You truly are…Kyuubi." The man gasped, wincing from the strong kicks. Naruto's gaze slid from the man's face to the tattoo of the cobra on his forearm.

"Tell Orochimaru that I do not take kindly to those who threaten my family," he said in a bored tone. Then he turned and walked away, leaving the injured man behind.

Hinata slid down and caught her breath, shakily. She had seen a glimpse of the fearsome tattoo on Naruto's back. Its eye was the single thing that had been visible to her but it had been enough. Because the tattoo represented what Naruto was capable of and it frazzled her nerves. Naruto, who was the kind young doctor, also had another side. It was a dangerous side that she didn't want to get in contact with.

She turned to look over her shoulder to see the injured man rush off as fast as possible and there was no sign of Naruto. With shaking fingers, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

---

"What?" Neji exclaimed. "I'll come get you." He got up and grabbed his jacket from the couch.

"What's wrong?" Tenten, his girlfriend stood up as well.

"Hinata told me that there was an attempted attack on Naruto." Neji said. This brought everyone to their feet. Sasuke clenched his can of beer angrily and the contents spilled up and over his bandaged hand. He dropped it unceremoniously onto the floor.

"He has begun to move already," he hissed. "I'll take care of this."

"Wait, Boss! You're injured!" Chouji protested, moving to his side. "We'll go."

"Yeah. We'll take care of this." A voice commented as its speaker stepped away from the wall. All of them turned to stare at the man with dark glasses. He wore a turtleneck that was pulled up over half of his face. Somehow, it looked strangely intimidating.

"Shino! You were there all along?" Kiba asked in astonishment.

"The wall has ears." Shino replied in his eccentric way. They all gave him blank stares until Neji, Shikamaru, and Tenten grabbed their belongings.

"Chouji stay here. You too, Tenten." Neji ordered. "We need people to watch over Sasuke." Tenten nodded as she sat back down and Chouji shrugged as he opened another bag of chips. "We'll be right back, Boss. Don't go anywhere." Sasuke sat back down and watched them exit the room.

He closed his eyes tiredly. How had his older brother handled this?

---

"Boss, I did come across Kyuubi as you said." The man from before said, ducking his head. The gang leader of Shinja was a man in his early thirties. Orochimaru was a man with a pale complexion and long dark hair that cascaded down his shoulders. He was a man that was hard to please and easy to anger.

"Good." Orochimaru said, slowly. "Now we know where Uchiha Naruto resides."

"Yes, he mentioned that he was a doctor." The man told him with courtesy.

"Kabuto." Orochimaru called out as his favorite henchman. The man with silver hair bowed politely as he stepped out of the sidelines. "Your task is to capture Kyuubi. Alive."

"As you wish, sir." Kabuto said, solemnly.

"Soon, Ryuujin will be brought down." Orochimaru smiled.

---

The motorcycles screeched to a halt and Hinata rose to her feet. Her silver eyes were filled with relief as she walked out to meet them.

"Hinata." Her cousin got off his motorcycle and walked up to her.

"Neji!" she smiled, shakily.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Hinata!" Kiba yelled as he ran forward. Neji purposely stuck out his foot to trip Kiba, and soon he was sprawled on the floor.

"Damn cousin complexes," he muttered as he got up.

"Neji, the man took off." Hinata told him.

"Was Naruto harmed?" Shikamaru asked, turning off the headlight on his motorcycle.

"No, only the man." Hinata said.

"Which way did Naruto go?" Shikamaru prompted. Hinata raised her arm and pointed to the direction of the rest of the parked vehicles in the garage.

"He went that way."

"What happened to Shino?" Kiba asked, suddenly. They looked around and indeed the man was missing.

But he was always missing, wasn't he?

---

He found him on the bridge, overlooking the city and a large body of water.

"Naruto."

The blonde man gave him a glance before taking the last drag from his cigarette. Smoking had been a habit that he had picked up from Itachi. Sasuke had always despised the smell of tar and nicotine.

"Shino, what are you doing here?" he asked him as he dropped the butt of the cigarette onto the ground. Then, he snuffed out the dying embers with the ball of his foot.

"You look well." Shino nodded.

"Hm, you do too." Naruto replied, pleasantly. He turned and leaned onto the railing and inhaled deeply. Shino walked forward and stood next to him, observing him through his dark glasses. How he could see through the glasses in the dark was always a mystery.

"Are you all right?" Shino asked, quietly.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Naruto turned to look back at him with a confused look. The wind ruffled his blonde hair and the torn shirt he wore. Shino knew that the tattoo on his back was exposed, even though he couldn't tell in the dark.

"We came to look for you." Shino told him. "Hinata called us."

"Hinata?" Naruto repeated. "She's Neji's cousin, isn't she? They look alike."

"They might try to attack you again. You will be safer with us." Shino commented.

"I'll never be safe anywhere." Naruto laughed, good-naturedly. "Besides, I'm a doctor now. I help people." He reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "If I leave now, who will help them?" He turned and looked away with a crooked grin on his face. "I can take care of myself. Just make sure you take care of Sasuke."

Shino watched as Naruto walked over to his bike and strapped on his helmet. "It was nice seeing you again, Shino. Ja!" Naruto turned his bike around and tore down the street.

Shino raised his hand in acknowledgement and dropped it when Naruto was out of sight.

Well he's done his part.

---

Kisu.


	3. Memories of an Uzumaki

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**Admit Defeat**

_Chapter 3: Memories of an Uzumaki_

By: Kisu

---

Uzumaki was his original last name taken after his father without a doubt. But he remembered nothing of his parents. In his dreams, they were always two blurred figures. He couldn't see their expressions or recognize their faces.

Then there was a third man.

And he always woke up screaming.

---

He had no idea how he got out onto the streets at the age of five. All he could remember was being cold and hungry all the time.

It had been raining, that night when he met Itachi. Gang fights were common in those rural areas and he remembered that there had been a violent battle.

He had huddled on a doorstep in an alley, wishing that he could be somewhere that was actually warmer. His stomach ached from the absence of nutrition and he whimpered as he drew his legs to his chest, shivering as the rain continued to fall.

He desperately tried to ignore the shouts and screams from the streets. He shut his eyes to the metallic clanks of metal and blades grating each other. He winced at the muffled sound of flesh meeting the ground.

It was the sudden sound of footsteps that brought him back into his senses. The footsteps splashed through the puddles in the alley and headed closer and closer to him. He drew his arms tighter around his knees and wished for the footsteps to pass him.

They never did.

Instead, they paused in front of him and he could feel a speculating gaze.

It was the voice that made him tremble all over.

It had been kind.

---

_"Are you lost?" The stranger spoke up. _

_He had raised his head and gazed blearily at the dark silhouette in the alleyway. The stranger walked into the weak light that was emitted from the flickering light bulb over the doorstep. It was a boy, older than him by a few years. He had dark hair that fell evenly around his smooth face and dark eyes that burned like smoldering coals. He whimpered when the boy approached him and crouched down beside him._

_"I have a little brother like you at home," he smiled softly. "Do you want to come with me?" He raised his hand and slowly offered it to him._

_---_

Naruto's hand had then slowly reached up to grab it. He didn't know if it was the intensity of the dark gaze or the silver dragons that twined around the black sleeves of Itachi's shirt. But the older boy had beckoned and he had answered.

Then he had met Sasuke. Sasuke had been a little boy that was too smart for his six years of age.

The stoic boy had stared at him with curiosity when his older brother brought him into the house.

He never expected it to be a mansion.

---

The young doctor walked over to his mailbox and retrieved his mail before heading up the stairs to his apartment. To his surprise, someone was lounging next to his door. When his guest spotted him, he rose up to his feet and stretched.

"What took you so long?" he grumbled. Naruto simply stared at him for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.

"Shika! What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, moving to unlock his door.

"Waiting for you." Shikamaru replied. "I'm hungry, let's go eat."

"All right." Naruto told him, giving him an amused look. "Let me change out of my work clothes first. Come on in."

It had been a week after the attack in the parking garage and two weeks after he saw Sasuke for the first time in ten years. But since he saw Shino, his old friends just kept on surprising him with random visits.

Naruto changed out of his black dress shirt and khaki colored slacks. Then he pulled on a white muscle t-shirt and black jeans. Grabbing his matching jean jacket, he shrugged it on and walked out of his room. Shikamaru was looking around at the sparse furniture he had. "

Nice place you got here," he commented, observing the clean white blandness of it. It seemed liked Naruto only owned a few sets of medical books and a large quantity of instant ramen in the cupboards.

"I'm not home much." Naruto explained. "Ready?" At Shikamaru's nod, they walked out of the apartment and Naruto turned to lock the door. Shikamaru couldn't help but "check out" his old friend.

"Damn man." Shikarmaru raised an eyebrow, gazing at Naruto's well-toned body. "What have you been doing these last ten years?"

"Ten years, huh?" Naruto repeated softly. It was also eleven years since Itachi was killed. "The only major thing was school. I'm still paying back the loans."

"A doctor." Shikamaru nodded. "I heard. Didn't know you had it in you, Naruto." Naruto laughed as they exited the building.

"So, where are we going?" The blonde spoke up after they had reached the first block.

"Dunno." Shikamaru replied slowly. Naruto sighed and raked a hand through his golden hair.

He remembered when they were younger, fresh in high school with no goals in their lives. When he hung out with Shikamaru, all they did was…nothing. They would lie on the grass for hours and stare up at the clouds. Well, at least until Sasuke found him and dragged him home.

"You're hopeless." Naruto grinned as they continued on down the street. A light rustle in the bushes made him turn around and place a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. "Did you hear that?"

"Huh?" Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder with a blank look. A cat raced out of the bushes and Naruto chuckled.

"Just a cat." Naruto laughed, shaking his head.

They found a nearby diner to have a burger and fries. When they finished, they exited the diner and walked back the way they came from. A loud commotion stopped them in their tracks. The commotion was a small group of bikers that slowly formed a circle around them. Teenagers, it seemed, had interesting hobbies nowadays. But of course, Naruto wasn't one to judge.

"Fuck. We're in deep shit." Shikamaru cursed. He narrowed his eyes. "Did they recognize you?"

"I don't think so." Naruto said, softly.

"Haven't seen you two here before." One of the teenagers spoke up, answering Shikamaru's question. The teenager seemed to be the leader by his act of superiority over the others. He had brown hair tied up in a ponytail and goggles, perched on the top of his head.

"Yeah. We just dropped in." Shikamaru laughed. "But we're leaving now. Nice talking with you." He made a move and was intercepted by the tip of a wicked looking knife that was placed an inch away from his face.

"Not so fast." Another boy smiled. "Do you know whose territory you've stepped into?"

"The fuck?" Shikamaru hissed. "This is Ryuujin territory."

"Not anymore, old man." The leader snickered. "The Shinja has taken over now. We're here to reinforce it."

Old man? Shikamaru was livid. He'll show that punk a thing or two.

Naruto grasped a hold of the back of Shikamaru's shirt and smiled pleasantly. "You kids should be at home. It's a little too late for you to be out playing."

"How dare you!" The boy, who had threatened Shikamaru with a knife, lunged forward. Naruto had him by the wrist and down on the ground in a blink of an eye. The knife had been wrenched out of the boy's hand and flown up in the air. Slowly it fell back to the ground and Naruto caught it nimbly.

"You shouldn't be playing with such sharp looking toys." Naruto lectured. "You might hurt yourself."

"Get him!" The leader snapped, obviously angered at Naruto's insults.

"Naruto, you bastard!" Shikamaru growled. "Look what you did!"

"Shika? Can't you fight?" Naruto asked, looking back at him.

"Bike techs do not fight." Shikamaru growled. "Besides it's like fiveagainst one!"

"Piece of cake." Naruto grinned. "Stay back."

Shikamaru could only stare in bewilderment. Was Naruto actually going to fight? He had heard the gang speak of the Kyuubi but he had never seen him in action. Because the rumors said that Naruto would turn into a "blood-thirsty demon" in fights. However, he couldn't imagine his bright cheerful friend as a monster.

Seeing the teenagers getting off their bikes, he blinked and looked around wildly. Where was Naruto? Did he just ditch him?

The teenagers advanced on him, smirking and brandishing very sharp and shiny weapons.

"S-stop!" The leader squeaked out suddenly.

The gang members abruptly stopped advancing and turned back to look at their leader. Shikamaru took the chance to take a few steps back. Then, he gaped. Naruto, who always looked cool even in life or death situations, had a knife at the teenager's throat.

Shikamaru gulped. Naruto wasn't going to kill him, was he? Doctors didn't kill; they were supposed to save people! Unless, unless…unless this was the reputation of Kyuubi.

"H-hey, wait a minute Naruto," he called out, nervously.

"A gang member doesn't fear death." Naruto said, softly. His blue eyes were clouded over with a predatory sheen. "So why are you trembling?"

"I-I'm not." The boy stammered.

"Are you?" Naruto countered, lightly sliding the tip of the knife over the boy's cheek. The boy paled as a trickle of blood slid down from the cut.

"We were just kidding, please let him go!" A girl with hair in pigtails ran out of the crowd.

"Stay away, Moegi!" The teenager yelled, trembling even more now.

Haha. Funny.

"Naruto! Enough!" Shikarmaru yelled, clearly scared out of his wits.

"Shika…I didn't have my fun yet." Naruto replied, gripping the boy's shoulder. "Don't you like having fun, too?" He asked the boy.

"N-no." The boy stuttered. He was about to wet his pants.

"So playing gang members, isn't fun?" Naruto continued, placing the tip of the knife on the boy's chin.

"No!" The boy cried, desperately.

"Okay then." Naruto suddenly let him go and patted him on the back. Then he walked away from him. The boy stared at him, unable to register what had just happened.

Shikamaru stared.

Everyone stood frozen.

What the hell did just happened?

The girl named Moegi broke the silence by rushing forward. "Konohamaru!" She gasped.

"Naruto."

Naruto turned around to see the boy smiling shakily at him with Moegi by his side.

"You're Uchiha Naruto, aren't you?" Konohamaru asked.

"Kyuubi?" Moegi gasped, paling slightly.

"I was once called that." Naruto smiled. "Now go home. Your parents must be worried." Then he turned and continued walking away with Shikamaru trailing after him. Naruto glanced at his friend and arched an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Shika?"

"I seriously thought you were going to kill him." The bike tech croaked. "My heart leapt to my throat, don't scare me like that!"

"I don't kill, Shika." Naruto laughed. "Doctors don't kill."

---

"Konohamaru." His two closest friends stood by him as he shakily calmed his nerves down. "Konohamaru, are you all right?"

He looked up to see Moegi and Udon staring at him with worry. He stood up from his crouching position, and slung the tail of his teal scarf over a shoulder. He pointed his index finger sky high and proclaimed in a loud voice,

"We follow Kyuubi now!"

"Eh?" Moegi blinked.

"We are no longer an ally of Shinja but one of Ryuujin!" Konohamaru announced. Cheers resounded throughout the group often teenagers or so.

"But Konohamaru, we were never actually an ally of Shinja." Udon commented.

"Yeah. We aren't real gang members." Moegi frowned.

"You threatened Ryuujin members with the name of Shinja! We don't even belong to the Shinja." Udon continued.

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Konohamaru whispered, waving his hands wildly. "We should do this all the time! It sure was exciting, wasn't it?"

"Konohamaru…"

"What is it, Moegi?"

"You're an idiot!"

---

I'm sure you'll be in for a visit from Neji, soon." Shikarmaru told him, seriously

"Neji, huh?" Naruto repeated as he stared up at the stars.

After Naruto had frazzled the nerves of our beloved bike tech and the group of nocturnal teenagers, they had gone for a trip to a nearby grocery store. Now, the two of them was sitting on the beach with their backs against a log. The tide came crashing in and over their feet. Both of them had a bottle of beer in their hand.

Ahh…life was good.

It would also be considered romantic, if Naruto still didn't have feelings for a certain someone, and if Shikamaru wasn't attached to a certain girl with long blonde hair.

But…that was another story.

"He was pissed off when Sasuke informed us that you weren't coming back." Shikamaru was saying.

"Hm. Neji was always quite a character." Naruto smiled as Shikamaru brought his bottle to his lips. "The first time I saw him, he was wearing a dress."

Shikamaru snorted and spluttered through the beer that went up his nose. He coughed wildly and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "What the hell?" he managed, staring at him in shock.

"Ahaha. Just kidding."

No, Neji hadn't been wearing a dress when Naruto had first met him. But the boy had been clad in a long sleeved shirt that reached down to his knees and a pair of baggy jeans.

His long dark hair had been tied into a slick ponytail. This just made the six-year-old look like a protégé of a rock star. The others also hadn't changed much. In fact, the first time he met all of them was in grade school.

Itachi had enrolled him into school a year after he had been picked up off the streets and Sasuke had dragged him along with much enthusiasm. The first thing the blonde boy had noticed was a girl with short pink hair and amazing green eyes.

_---_

_"Who's this, Sasuke?" She had asked, staring at him with curiosity. Feeling shy, Naruto had blushed and moved behind Sasuke. His foster brother glanced over his shoulder at him in concern._

_"What's wrong?" he whispered._

_"She's really cute." Naruto whispered back._

_"She also has a really big forehead." Sasuke replied, sticking out his tongue._

_"What?" Naruto gasped, loudly. He looked around quickly and slapped his hands over his mouth. "Sorry." He said, meekly._

_"Don't say you're sorry." Sasuke frowned. "You didn't do anything wrong." But Naruto frowned and continued to keep his hands over his mouth._

_"You're funny." Sakura giggled before running to join her friend, Ino._

_---_

Even in grade school you had your own cliques. So all of them hung out with their own friends.

Shikamaru, Chouji and the blonde girl named Ino hung out by the swings. Neji glared at anyone who approached the sandbox that he and Hinata played in, save for Tenten.

Kiba and Shino hung out underneath the trees near the sandbox, because it was obvious that Kiba liked Hinata much to Neji's distaste. Which left Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura to hang out at the jungle gym.

Later, when they entered secondary school, all the groups broke up into their separate ways. This was the time when hormones kicked in and puberty played a huge role. No wonder the teachers feared the incoming class of sixth graders.

Coolness had a new meaning and unsurprisingly, Sasuke's good dark looks gave him a popularity level that shot through the roof.

So then, what happened to the friends?

Sakura and Ino who were best friends began to fight over Sasuke. Shino became a member of the insect club. Kiba started flirting with Hinata when Neji wasn't around and Tenten was busy trying to stir the Hyuuga boy away from his cousin complex to notice her.

Shikamaru and Chouji continued to hang out together, despite Ino's desperate need to track them down for gossip. And some strange boy, who loved the color green, began chasing Sakura around. Sasuke was busy avoiding his fanclub of rabid fangirls and Naruto took prep classes for high school.

It may seem strange, but he had already discovered his interest in pursuing a career as a doctor. His teacher was really nice in helping him prepare for high school and hoped he could jump ahead to college courses. The only other person that Naruto had informed of his decision was his foster father, Uchiha Kenji. Kenji became delighted about this matter and instantly set away funds and opened an account for his medical school expenses.

But that account still remained untouched today.

It was the only a few days before the last day of secondary school when Kenji suffered a stroke in his sleep. Thus, Itachi took over the gang and began the funeral rites for their father. Hinata had transferred to an all-girls school and Ino had moved to a city that was an hour away.

It was the beginning of freshmen year that they began taking an interest in gang activity.

It was also the time when Sasuke declared his love for him.

It happened when Sakura finally gave in to her instincts and caught them when they were walking home. With Ino out of the way, she couldn't help but jump for the chance of a lifetime.

_---_

_"Sasuke."_

_The boy, now 15 years old, looked up and brushed his long dark bangs out of his eyes. "What is it Sakura?" he asked, gazing at the girl. They had been friends for so long but they never had been really close._

_"Sasuke…I like you." Sakura said, a fierce red blush staining her creamy complexion. "I really, really like you."_

_Sasuke sighed. He was used to turning down offers from his rabid fangirls, but how could he turn down a friend that he had known for his entire childhood? "Sakura…" he began._

_"I was hoping we could be more than friends." Sakura rushed on. "Unless…you don't want to." She looked down onto the ground._

_"I'll go on ahead." Naruto's soft voice cut in. Sasuke's head shot up and he turned to stare at the blonde._

_"No. Wait, Naruto." Sasuke protested._

_"It's okay. Catch up to me when you're done." Naruto called over his shoulder as he walked away. Sasuke turned back to look at his childhood friend and took her hand in his._

_"I'm flattered, Sakura. But I'm not really that good of a guy." Sasuke said. "I'm in a gang and you'll just get hurt." He patted her on the shoulder. "You'll find a better guy, Sakura. Let go of me, because I like someone else." _

_With that, he turned and rushed after Naruto, leaving Sakura staring after him._

_---_

Sasuke had found Naruto waiting for him. The boy had been sitting underneath an apple tree, reading an intensely thick book. He had walked up to him and knocked the book out of his hands. Naruto frowned and glanced at the fallen book and up at Sasuke. Sasuke then, slammed his hands on either side of the blonde's head. Naruto gazed at him curiously.

---

_His hand reached up and touched his cheek. "Sasuke, you look angry." he stated as Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Are you okay?"_

_"You rushed off." Sasuke said, blankly as he fell on his knees and rested his chin on the other boy's shoulder._

_"It looked like you guys needed some privacy." Naruto replied, stroking his spiky dark hair. "What did you tell her?"_

_"I told her, I liked someone else."_

_"Oh?" Naruto continued to stroke Sasuke's hair._

_"And that person I like is you."_

_"Don't say things like that." The hand stopped and dropped back to Naruto's side. "Sometimes I don't even think you're joking."_

_But it was the next action that confirmed his suspicions. Something soft and warm covered his lips and his eyes widened. Sasuke was kissing him._

_His heartbeat sped up and a fierce blush spread over his cheeks. When Sasuke broke the kiss, Naruto looked away._

_"Sasuke."_

_Sasuke's smiled dropped as Naruto calmly reached over to pick up his book. His chest tightened at the anticipation of rejection._

_"Warn me next time you do something like that." Naruto replied, setting the book so Sasuke couldn't see his blushing face. Sasuke grinned and settled himself down next to Naruto with his head on his lap_.

_"All right," he responded, closing his eyes._

_---_

Naruto stared out into the sea and inhaled deeply. The salty tang of the ocean air invaded his senses as he drained the rest of the beer from the bottle. He stood up and dusted the sand off of his jeans. "Shika?"

The bike tech had fallen asleep and Naruto laughed softly.

He took off his jacket and draped it over the man.

Just like Itachi had done…

…many years ago in that alleyway.

---

_Kisu._


	4. Bitten by Snakes

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**Admit Defeat**

_Chapter 4: Bitten by Snakes_

By: Kisu

---

True to Shikamaru's word, Neji appeared at the hospital two weeks later. So Naruto wasn't surprised when the man suddenly sat down next to him while he was having lunch with Hinata in the cafeteria.

"Neji!" Hinata greeted her cousin in delight.

Neji frowned and glanced over his shoulder. He grimaced at the group of giggling nurses that had followed him into the cafeteria. "What kind of hospital is this?" He asked, irritated from his unwanted admirers.

"Must be your sex appeal." Naruto commented as he hid a grin behind his coffee mug. He examined Neji out of the corner of his eyes. From the last time he had last saw him, Neji hadn't changed much in appearance. But in physique, he had grown taller and leaner.

With dark hair slicked back in a ponytail and intimidating silver eyes, Neji sat casually back in his chair. The dark shirt and white pants he wore just added to the bad boy, rocker look he was sporting. So of course, it was natural that the young nurses were on to him like a pack of wolves.

"Girls." Hinata admonished, kindly. "Don't we have patients to look after?" She gave them a strict look and the nurses obediently filed out of the cafeteria, still giggling on their way out. Neji sighed in relief and glanced over the blonde he was sitting next to.

"Do you have this kind of trouble?" He asked. After all, the young doctor was a very handsome guy.

"Of course not." Naruto replied, softly.

"Don't lie, doctor." Hinata laughed. "When he first came in, the girls hounded him like there was no tomorrow." She paused and frowned delicately. "What did you do to make them stop?"

"I told them I was gay." Naruto replied casually as he took a sip of his coffee. Hinata's eyes widened and she looked down.

"Oh." She murmured, clearly disappointed. Naruto watched her over the rim with knowing eyes. Neji glared at the blonde with disapproval before quickly flicking his gaze back to his cousin with concern.

"Any guys coming on to you, Hinata?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Hardly." Hinata laughed as she watched Neji look around the cafeteria with wary eyes. "You scared them all away the last time you visited." She sighed. "On this rate, I'll never get a boyfriend."

"You're too attractive to settle down anyways." Naruto told her as he watched Neji steal his cup of coffee. "Besides, if worse comes to worse. You can just marry Neji." Neji choked and Hinata blushed a bright red.

"Doctor!" Hinata gasped. She frowned and shook her head thoughtfully. "I don't think Tenten would like that."

"Where the hell did you get that idea?" Neji exclaimed, angrily. He was still a bit flush from Naruto's previous comment.

"It was a joke." Naruto said, smoothly. He waved his hands defensively when the Hyuugas shot him death glares.

"Not a very funny one." Neji muttered.

"Serves you right for stealing my coffee." Naruto reminded him. Neji shot him a dirty look before downing the rest of the contents. "Well, are you free now? If you are, I'll meet you outside."

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. Neji rose out of his seat and leaned over to give a quick kiss on Hinata's cheek before walking out of the cafeteria. When the Hyuuga was out of sight, Naruto turned around to the head nurse. "Hinata?"

"Hm?" The pretty nurse looked up from her parfait.

"Hinata, I know you liked me." Naruto smiled, warmly. "You're a great woman so take your time in finding the perfect guy. Don't let me put down your self-esteem." Hinata blushed and looked away. "In fact, I consider you like a little sister. Your future boyfriends will have to go through Neji and me."

"Huh?" Hinata blinked, her head shooting back up.

"Call me Naruto from now on, all right? Don't bother with the formalities." Naruto reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll be on call if you need me." Hinata nodded wordlessly as the blonde got up and walked out of the cafeteria. Once the door swung shut, Hinata groaned and buried her face in her hands.

Little sister?

She was never going to get a boyfriend.

---

Neji had a destination in mind.

A casino.

Naruto shrugged and wordlessly agreed, just because he never went to a casino before and Neji haven't either. In fact, the Hyuuga family owned a large chain of casinos, hotels, and racetracks. They also bred champion racehorses for competitions. However, Neji didn't follow with these since they were mostly the concern of his Uncle Hiashi and his father.

They entered the casino and looked around. Naruto arched an eyebrow and turned to Neji. "So…are you going to…gamble?" He asked. He wasn't much of a gambling fan so he decided to just observe what Neji did.

"Uh…no." Neji replied, looking back at him. "I was just going to watch."

Naruto laughed and they made their way to the quieter area of the casino where the lounge was. They both ordered their drinks and sat in comfortable silence. Naruto was actually waiting for Neji to start talking, because that was what Neji did.

He lectured.

Naruto smiled at the waitress as she placed their drinks on to the table and walked away. Neji had always been considered as an older brother to him. The silver-eyed man was a year and a half older than him and he had always watched out for him if Sasuke wasn't around. Between the two of them, they had been very protective.

"Naruto."

Naruto looked up and turned to the Hyuuga. "Yeah?" he asked, willing him to continue.

"Sasuke told me that you weren't going to come back." Neji said, keeping his tone conversational.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, looking into his glass of brandy. The ice shifted.

"Mind me asking why?" Neji questioned. Naruto kept his eyes on the ice and watched as it shifted again. He looked up and met Neji's silver gaze with his blue one.

"It's history. I don't want to repeat it," he replied.

"It's hardly history." Neji frowned. "Especially when people are still out to kill you. They know about your reputation." Naruto sighed and folded his arms on the table.

"I can't come back until I find out who I am." Naruto told him, finally. "I need to find out who Uzumaki Naruto is. Because, I know who Uchiha Naruto is."

"Naruto is Naruto. No last name can change that." Neji said.

"Last names are everything." Naruto replied, placing his head down onto his arms. "It is your lineage. I need to know why I was thrown away."

"Naruto, you're an Uchiha now. Uncle Kenji adopted you into the family." Neji said, gently.

"I'll never be a peace if I don't find out who I am." Naruto murmured. Neji looked away and closed his eyes. Even he didn't know how to confront this situation. Now what will Sasuke do?

"When you do find out..." Neji said, slowly. "Will you come back?"

There was a pause before Naruto answered.

"I'll think about it."

---

Sasuke stalked down the halls with a frown on his face. The receptionist had told him that Naruto had taken off for the day. His frown deepened. He had wanted to see Naruto and to get his cast taken off. Suddenly he paused. Was all the space that he was giving to Naruto, all right? Should he be trying to convince him like the others?

Shikamaru had told them a few weeks ago that he had talked to Naruto but was left alone on the beach. Shino had only had told him that he was satisfied with his talk with Naruto. Now, Neji was giving a crack at it. But what were the chances of Neji succeeding?

Sasuke sighed as he sat down in an empty chair in the hallway. The four of them had been the closest to Naruto. Shino was an exception because everyone could tolerate him. So Sasuke had decided he would be the last one to try to convince Naruto to come back to the gang.

But now to find him…

"Mr. Uchiha?"

He looked up to see Neji's cousin staring down at him in concern. "Hinata?" he stated. She smiled and nodded. "I was looking for Naruto."

"Oh, Neji came by to pick him up." Hinata told him. "So, he's on call for the rest of the day."

"Is that so?" Sasuke frowned as he got up.

"Wait. You're here to take that cast off, aren't you?" Hinata asked, suddenly. Sasuke nodded blankly and she beamed. "I can take it off for you but you would have to come back to get Dr. Uzumaki to check on it. Come this way."

He followed Hinata down the hall and into a room. Then, he sat down on a chair while Hinata grabbed a few supplies.

"How is Naruto doing?" Hinata looked up and smiled at him.

"He's doing fine," she replied. "Now let's get this off, all right?"

"Yeah."

---

Naruto walked over to the sink to wash his hands. Through the sound of the rushing water, he heard a familiar voice.

"Uchiha Naruto."

These surprising visits were getting annoying.

Looking up and into the mirror, he stared at the man behind him. Then, he calmly turned the faucet off and proceeded to dry his hands with a towel. After he was done, he turned around and faced the speaker.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken." He replied, as he walked past him. A firm hand came down onto his shoulder and he paused in mid stride.

"Then, it's Uzumaki Naruto isn't it?" The man continued. "Dr. Uzumaki Naruto."

Sighing in exasperation, Naruto turned around and gazed at the man blankly. "Kabuto, what do you want?"

"I'm so glad you remember me." The man smiled, tilting his head. He pushed up his glasses to reveal his shifty blue eyes. Naruto gazed at him coolly and shoved his hands into his pockets, leaning back onto the bathroom wall.

"I remember leaving you for dead," he smirked.

A flash of anger flickered in Kabuto's eyes before his smile turned into a smirk. Kabuto was a few years older than him and the right hand man of Orochimaru's.

He had been his last opponent before he had left the gang. That night during the last fight against Shinja, he had gone crazy from his pent up emotions and had almost beaten Kabuto to death. So when he had realized this, he had dropped his bloody pipe and ran.

Ran away from the sight of blood.

Ran away from the Ryuujin.

Naruto closed his eyes and lowered his head so his bangs would cover his eyes. "What do you want, Kabuto? Revenge?"

"Hardly." Kabuto replied. "I don't stoop that low."

_Liar._ Naruto thought to himself.

"I came for Orochimaru. He has a preposition for you." Kabuto told him.

"I don't do deals with conniving snakes." Naruto replied.

"You're interested in your past, are you not?" Kabuto asked. Naruto's head shot up and he glared at Kabuto. "Orochimaru has the answers."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Naruto frowned.

"How do you know if I am?" Kabuto responded. He smirked and walked past him. "I'll be outside when you reach your decision."

With that, he opened the bathroom door and slipped out. Naruto gazed angrily as the door swung shut and he slammed his fist into the wall.

Since when did he start dealing with snakes?

But he needed to know.

And he also knew he was walking onto deadly grounds.

Neji frowned as he listened to the voice message that Naruto had left him before grabbing his keys off the table. Then he slid his cell phone back into his pocket and walked out of the casino.

Naruto had told them that he had an emergency call from the hospital, so he had left right away. Neji sighed and walked into the parking lot to where his bike was parked. He'll just head back to the hospital and wait for Naruto.

They still had things to talk about.

---

"Uchiha Naruto."

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto immediately corrected him.

"Ah." The man with a very pale complexion and dark hair that draped around his face got up slowly.

Naruto could almost feel his skin crawl as the man walked closer. He seemed like he was almost slithering. A pale hand touched his shoulder and brushed his cheek before returning to the side of its owner. Naruto found himself gazing into Orochimaru's amused dark eyes.

"The last of the Uzumaki," he sighed, dramatically.

"Get to the point." Naruto glared. "I'm a very busy man."

"Yes,I heard you area doctor." Orochimaru nodded as he sat back down in his chair. Kabuto stood to the right of him with a small smile on his face. "Are you trying to redeem yourself for your sins?"

"No." Naruto replied in monotone. Orochimaru grinned and clasped his hands together. "Enough. Tell me what you know."

"The Uzumaki have been a family of Shinja's for quite awhile." Orochimaru began. "They have served under me for a long time." Naruto flinched but kept his stony glare.

"Your family was quite useful. They were all "real demons" in the battlefield and very valuable to the success of Shinja," he laughed shortly and resumed his amused smirk. "Unfortunately, your father owed me a few large debts and haven't repaid me yet. Since you are an Uzumaki and he's dead, the debts have been passed to you."

"How did he die?" Naruto asked, quietly.

"Drug overdose." Orochimaru said, tilting his head to the side. "Those debts are from the drugs he bought from me, or rather…stole."

"How much?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Two million dollars." Orochimaru replied. Naruto paled and curled his hands into fists. "His payment to me was you. He was going to give me his own son to use as tool." The Shinja leader shook his head in mock dismay. "But he betrayed me and took you away. I'm surprised he hid you so well."

"I was found on the streets, Orochimaru." Naruto glared. "Don't spout lies."

"Then you must have been cast out into the streets right before he died." Orochimaru smiled. "Because he died on the hospital table as his body slowly shut down."

"I'll pay you back the money." Naruto told him, quietly. "Then, I want nothing to do with you again."

"I don't want the payment in money anymore." Orochimaru said, his smile widening.

"What do you want then?" Naruto demanded, angrily.

"I want the payment in blood." Orochimaru grinned. "Uchiha Sasuke's blood."

Naruto's eyes widened and he narrowed his eyes, dangerously. "I'm not killing Sasuke."

"Do you understand once he's dead, you'll be free of your past?" Orochimaru asked. "You will no longer be Uchiha Naruto, or the Kyuubi. You will live the rest of your life as Dr. Uzumaki Naruto. A professional." His smile became deadly. "How would your co-workers feel if they found out of your juvenile delinquency?"

"You can't blackmail me with my own past, Orochimaru." Naruto whispered, his blue eyes clouding over with anger. "There is no way I'm going to kill any member of my family." He smiled tightly. "What's so good about being an Uzumaki now? I don't like the idea of being a tool for Shinja."

"Well then…" Orochimaru smiled in delight. "Maybe you'll like this option…"

---

Frantic screams were heard throughout the hallway as nurses ran past him. Neji was filled with dread as he ran down the hall. Wasn't Sasuke coming in today to get his cast off?

"Hinata!" he yelled. "Sasuke!"

"Neji!" He heard Sasuke's voice as he rounded the corner. The gang leader was busy striking down his assailants. Neji ran toward him and punched out one of the men.

"Shinja!" he hissed, narrowing his eyes after he recognized the men.

He stood in front of Sasuke and turned in a circle, bringing down two men with a butterfly kick(1). Then, he landed and shifted his stance into a defensive one. His palms out and ready to attack the next man. The group from Shinja took the hint and took off. He turned around quickly and found Sasuke leaning against the wall, his right hand supporting his left arm.

"Sasuke, are you all right?" Neji chanced a glance at the Ryuujin leader.

"My arm is rusty from being in a cast." Sasuke groaned, as he stood upright. "Neji, your cousin..."

"Have you seen her?" Neji demanded, turning around and gazing about wildly.

"Shinja took her." Sasuke told him. "She jumped in and pushed me away."

"Orochimaru is up to something." Neji frowned. "Have you seen Naruto?"

"Wasn't he with you?" Sasuke stated, glaring at him.

"Oh shit." Neji's eyes widened. "It can't be."

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked in concern.

"That's his plan." Neji whispered in dread.

---

"Hyuuga Hinata is in our hands now." Orochimaru said. "If you don't want her to get hurt, you will do what I say."

"What?" Naruto gaped. "How dare you!"

"So in exchange of Hyuuga Hinata, you will give me Uchiha Sasuke's head." Orochimaru smiled.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and swung around. "I won't forget this," he whispered, before running out the door.

"Mr. Orochimaru. Should we let him go like that?" Kabuto spoke up as he gazed after the fleeting blonde.

"He will be back." Orochimaru laughed. "There's no way he can retrieve Hyuuga Hinata at this rate."

"He shouldn't be underestimated…" Kabuto murmured softly.

---

"Bastards." Hinata backed up and felt the metal fence press into her back. "I won't let you take me without a fight."

"Come with us and you won't get hurt." One of the men told her. The foursome advanced on her steadily. Hinata pulled the nurse's cap away from her head and let her short dark hair spilled over her face. She slowly shifted her stance and raised her arms, with palms facing forward.

"You forgot that I'm a Hyuuga too!" She smiled, as her silver eyes narrowed.

She rushed at them, slamming her palms into the chests of the first two men. They fell back with blood spurting from their mouths. Then, she turned to the third one and raised her hand, only to find herself captured from behind with the fourth one.

Hinata quickly grabbed onto the man's arms and swung her legs out to catch the third assailant around the neck, slamming him into the ground. Swinging high up, she twisted her body to come down behind the fourth man. At the last minute the man turned around and kicked out. She flew in the air and her fingertips brushed against the top of the metal fence. She found herself falling off the hospital roof.

Her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for impact.

She heard the wind rush past her and a scream of terror.

Then she realized the scream was from her.

---

_Kisu._

(1)Definition of a "Butterfly Kick". In Kung Fu, it's like a 360 degree circle while you face the ground, your back in the air and you turn, swinging both legs up. One after another. (Xiao Yu and Jun does it in Tekken)

In Karate, Tae Kwon Do, it is like…a tucked in roundhouse kick that you do while you are propelled in the air. (see Jin and Kazuya from Tekken )


	5. Fallen

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**Admit Defeat**

_Chapter 5: Fallen_

By: Kisu

---

Naruto was filled with dread as his motorcycle roared down the street. He passed the cars and trucks on the streets with lightning speed. Orochimaru wouldn't dare!

He narrowed his eyes angrily as gazed through the protective covering on his helmet.

Hinata…Hinata, please be all right!

---

Hinata screamed as he fingertips brushed against the top of the metal fence. She felt herself falling and her hand reached to grab anything.

Anything!

Like Kami's answer, her hand found a window ledge and she furiously took a hold of it. Hinata swallowed thickly and forced herself not to look down. A view of a five-story drop wasn't what she needed right now.

"Shit! Look what you did!" She looked up through tear filled eyes at the four men that were looking down at her in worry. "Orochimaru isn't going to like this!"

"We can't just let her dangle there, can we?" The second man asked. He didn't want the pretty nurse to fall and end up in a bloody pile of guts and bone.

"She's the eldest daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi!" The first man yelled. "Do you know how much ransom, she is worth?"

"You're not going to get anything if I die!" Hinata screamed, hysterically. She could feel her grip slipping.

"Hold on. We'll get you." The third man said, as he disappeared from view. Hinata closed her eyes. She was too young to die like this.

She didn't even have a boyfriend yet!

"Naruto." She whispered. "Neji." She shrieked as her grip slipped again. "Anybody please help me."

Her fingers slid off the ledge and she screamed.

"Help me!"

---

Naruto's bike tore into the front of the hospital. Quickly, he kicked the kickstand down and dashed through the double doors and into the large building.

"What happened?" he asked, urgently as he grabbed a hold of a nurse in his division. The woman's eyeliner was smudged from her tears and she gasped.

"Doctor! It's horrible!" She cried. "A group of gangsters made a commotion on the fourth floor!"

"Gangsters?" Naruto repeated. He shook her in panic. "Hinata! What about Hinata?"

"I don't know!" She sobbed. Naruto handed her to another nurse and rushed up the stairs.

Please be all right. He prayed silently as he burst through the door into the fourth floor.

He looked around and ran down the hall. It was deserted.

"Hinata! Hinata!" He yelled. "Is anyone here?"

"Naruto." He turned around the corner and stopped.

A familiar man with dark hair and eyes like smoldering coals was sitting on the ground with his back pressed against the wall. He stood up slowly, his right hand favoring his left arm protectively.

"Sasuke?" Naruto blinked. "Sasuke, are you all right?" The Ryuujin gang leader nodded. "Do you know where Hinata is?"

"Don't worry." Sasuke smirked. "I got reinforcements."

---

"Help me!"

A hand reached out and grasped onto her Hinata's wrist at the last minute. Hinata looked up and gasped.

"Yo, Hinata." Kiba winked, as he grunted to keep his hold on her hand. "Reach up." He said, holding out his other hand. Hinata shakily gave him her hand and gasped as Kiba slid forward. "Shino! Shikamaru!"

There was a great pull and Hinata came through the window. She fell on top of Kiba and they landed onto the floor in a very compromising position.

"I won't mind this every day." Kiba grinned, their faces inches away from each other.

Hinata squeaked and quickly got off of Kiba, blushing a bright red. Kiba snickered and sat up, untying the rope that was bound to his waist. Shikamaru and Shino stood near the doorway and let go of the other end of the rope.

"Are you all right, Hinata?" Shino asked.

"Thanks for saving me." Hinata whispered, shakily.

"Did you find her?" Neji's frantic voice floated down the hall and seconds later, the man ran into the room. "Hinata!"

"Neji." Hinata gasped in relief. Neji quickly walked over to her and grabbed her hand.

"Are you all right?" He asked. He turned to gaze at Kiba. "He didn't do anything do you did he?"

"No, Neji." Hinata blinked as Tenten walked into the room.

"You're all right, Hinata." Tenten said in relief.

"Keep away from her, you dog!" Neji yelled. Tenten sighed in exasperation.

"This is the gratitude I get for saving your precious cousin?" Kiba shouted back. "I'll let her fall next time!"

"You do that and I'll skin you alive!" Neji shouted furiously. "Wait…you saved Hinata?"

"With our help of course." Shikamaru said. "Women are so troublesome." He backed off when Tenten shot him a dirty look.

"Hey guys." Sakura ran in breathless. "Have you seen, Sasuke?"

"Uh…we thought he was with you."

---

"I'm sure they got her by now." Sasuke said, thoughtfully as he looked at his watch.

Naruto sighed in relief. "I'm so glad." he managed. Then he turned and examined Sasuke's position. "Did you just get your cast off?"

"Yeah." Sasuke replied, arching an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You didn't happen to use that arm to fight, did you?" Naruto asked in a disapproving doctor's tone.

"Well I can't really just use one arm to fight." Sasuke shot back. "It's just a little numb."

"Let me see." Naruto walked closer and closed the space in between them.

Sasuke watched as he took his arm in his hands and ran his fingertips up and down, checking the positions and the joints. "I think you'll need to take an x-ray later, just in case."

"Naruto…" Sasuke spoke up. Naruto looked up and met his dark gaze. "Naruto, am I doing the right thing?"

"What?" Naruto blinked, in confusion.

"Am I giving you enough space?" Sasuke asked. "I need you back, Naruto."

Naruto closed his eyes and smiled before raising his arm and slipping it around Sasuke's waist. Then so gently, Naruto brushed his lips against Sasuke's. He smiled against his lips and trailed kisses down his neck.

"You told me before that you still loved me." Naruto murmured as he brushed his lips against his collarbone. He felt Sasuke's pulse quicken and he drew him closer to him.

"So how can I stop loving you?" he whispered in his ear. Sasuke's eyes widened and he closed his eyes, smiling softly.

"If my arm wasn't numb right now, I would have ravaged you on the floor." Sasuke commented.

"You sure know how to kill a mood."

---

"Sakura! What do you mean you haven't seen him?" Shikamaru demanded. "Who was supposed to guard him?"

"I lost sight of him on the fourth floor." Neji said as he turned around.

"Hey, look what I found!" Chouji yelled out as he walked in dragging a wriggling bundle.

He dumped the contents on the floor and they found themselves staring at the four men that were on the rooftop. Neji walked over to them and planted his foot onto the man that was closest to him.

"Who's up for torturing them?" Kiba asked, a wicked glint in his eye. Hinata made a sound of discomfort and Neji backhanded Kiba in the side of his head. "Ow! You damn bastard!"

"Don't talk like that in front of a lady." Sakura admonished. She saw a shadow blocking out the light from the doorway and spun around. Sasuke stood in the doorway, his left arm wrapped in bandages.

"Good. You got to her in time." He nodded approvingly at Hinata.

"Sasuke!" Sakura squealed in delight. "You're all right!" Before she had a chance to glomp onto him, Sasuke moved away from the door and revealed a newcomer.

Naruto stood in the doorway, his golden hair catching the light from the hallway in contrast to the dark room. One of his hands was casually shoved in his pocket. The other hand gripped the doorframe and the silver ring on his hand caught the light. Tenten gasped.

That was Itachi's ring.

Naruto's frosty blue eyes flickered throughout the room and finally landed on Neji.

Neji's hope rose and his breath caught in his throat.

"I've finally decided on an answer, Neji." he said, quietly. But they could hear the quiet thunder rolling in the soft voice. Just like the calm before a storm. "I'm going to look for Gaara." He leaned over and whispered something in Sasuke's ear before turning around and walking out of the door.

Sasuke broke the tension by smiling, slowly.

It was one of the true smiles that they haven't seen for a long time on the young gang leader's face.

This smile reached up to his eyes.

_Wait for me._

"The game has just begun." Sasuke told him. His dark eyes sparkled in excitement. "Itachi will be avenged."

---

The glass of red wine dropped onto the floor and shattered. The crimson liquid spilled onto the floor, staining it like freshly spilt blood.

"What did you say?"

"I'm sorry, sir! We lost Hyuuga Hinata." The trembling man said, from his kneeling position. "Please forgive me!" He pressed his face against the floor.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and held a hand to his nose. The man was sweating terribly and was emitting a foul odor. He reached over to the side table and brushed his fingers along the hilt of a handgun. Then, he grabbed the bottle of red wine next to it and threw it at the man. It smashed against the man's head and blood trickled down his forehead from the sharp glass.

"Get out!" he yelled. The man scrambled to his feet and ran out of the room as fast as possible. He raised his hand up and clenched it into a fist before slamming it back down onto the armrest. "Kabuto!"

"Yes sir?" His most trusted man quietly walked out from behind him and adjusted his glasses.

"What happened to Uzumaki Naruto?" He asked.

"He eliminated a number of our men while on his way out of the hospital." Kabuto said. "We couldn't capture him but he's heading out of town."

"Follow him. I want him dead!" Orochimaru yelled. He got up quickly and the glass from the brokenbottle cracked under the bottom of his shoe. "Uchiha or Uzumaki. He's dangerous."

"As you wish, sir." Kabuto bowed, humbly.

"If you fail, Kabuto." Orochimaru hissed, warningly. "There will be severe consequences."

Kabuto nodded and walked out of the room. Once he shut the door, he heard the Shinja gang leader throw several objects around the room. Kabuto's lips curved into a smile.

Maybe revenge wasn't a bad idea after all.

---

Naruto didn't know how hard it was to find one man. He had followed leads and finally ended up in the Drylands, a few days away from Konoha. Drylands was a nickname for this part of the country because of its lack of rain. In fact, it was almost a desert.

Perfect for Gaara. Naruto thought with annoyance as he continued walking to the small town a few miles away.

He was covered in dust from head to toe and every footstep he took stirred up even more dust. Before he reached the town, he saw giant clouds of dust being stirred up in the east. So, trusting instincts he headed to the activity.

He discovered that there was a yearly drag race that was hosted in the Drylands.

He walked through the crowd of foul smelling men and women in very revealing clothing. He sighed, when he found no sign of Gaara.

"Haven't seen you around, before." A gruff voice interrupted his thoughts.

He turned around slowly and slipped his left hand into his pocket. Well of course he stood out here in his white long sleeved shirt and torn jeans. Well, the shirt wasn't white anymore.

He raised his right hand up and slowly pulled the rim of his cowboy hat up,gazing at the man before him.

He looked like the rest of the men. Dressed in leather with chains and spikes, with a short scruffy beard and unkempt hair. He was covered thickly in a layer of dust and looking like he didn't mind it.

The man glared at him.

Didn't they get hot in leather out here?

"What you staring at?" The man spat.

"Sorry." Naruto replied, with a pleasant smile. "I'm looking for someone."

"Oh yeah?" The man asked. "Who are you looking for, city boy?"

City boy? Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I'm looking for Gaara." He saw recognition flash through the man's eyes and he found himself suddenly held up by the shirt.

"Who are you looking for the Boss?" The man sneered.

Boss? "An old friend." Naruto said, evenly. The man tossed him back onto the ground and Naruto quickly found his footing. "You know where he is. Tell me."

"I'm not answering any questions from a city boy." The man said. "Get lost. Shrimps like you shouldn't be out here in the Drylands."

The man turned around and found himself on the ground in a blink of an eye. Naruto had his arm pulled back and he narrowed his eyes, darkening with anger as he leaned closer to him.

"Please tell me where Gaara is," he said, venomously.

The man gulped. Who was he? The ring flashed on his left hand and his eyes widened as he recognized the symbol on it.

"U-Uchiha!" he blurted out. This brought hundreds of curious stares to be focused on them. "Get him, now!"

Naruto quickly stepped away as a gunshot was fired. A group of men pulled out their weapons and Naruto stumbled back, holding on his shoulder where a bullet had shot through his shoulder.

"Don't let our client down!" The man yelled. "First person to bring me his head gets a bonus!"

Oh shit.

Naruto backed up as the men advanced on him.

This was not good at all.

---

Sasuke's grip tightened suddenly on his glass of vodka and he stared down into the liquid in mild curiosity.

"Sasuke?" Sakura touched his shoulder.

"Naruto." Sasuke whispered.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Sakura said, helpfully.

"I'm worried." Sasuke replied. "There's something wrong."

"Sasuke, he's that someone you like, isn't he?" Sakura asked, softly. She drew away from him and folded her hands in her lap.

"Yeah."

---

Naruto had managed to take down a number of men but they kept advancing. He frowned and was caught unaware as a swinging hook brushed against his right shoulder. He jerked quickly so the hook missed him by a few inches but managed to tear a large rip down the back of his shirt.

Why do they insist of tearing up his shirts like that?

He ripped the shirt away without a second thought and there were collective gasps in the crowd. They had seen his tattoo.

The tattoo of the Kyuubi.

"I won't be taken down easily." Naruto told them. "I'm here for a cause and I will fulfill it."

Those words that should have made even a hungry predator wary had the opposite effect on the men because they rushed in and Naruto quickly gave up the role of Uzumaki Naruto.

And took on the name of Uchiha Naruto, the Kyuubi.

He felt blood splash onto his face and heard the sickening crunch of bone underneath his fists.

It was the adrenaline that rushed through his veins that gave him a natural high.

And they kept coming.

A hard blow on his head made his vision swim.

"What is going on here?" That voice was so familiar.

"Boss!" The beefcake of a man from before sounded frightened.

He felt blood dripping down his neck from the wound on his head and he reached up dazedly to confirm it. Indeed his fingers came back smeared in crimson red.

His legs gave away and he fell back.

A pair of strong arms caught him and he stared up into a pair of light green eyes.

He reached up and found a name on the tip of his tongue.

Those eyes…

…were so familiar.

Then he surrendered to the overpowering darkness.

---

_Kisu._


	6. Timing is Everything

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** PG

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Naruto

A/N: This is turning out to be some kind of shounen-ai fic…I need to toss some yaoi goodness in somewhere! I think I'll take a break in the next chapter and update my other fics…because…I really hate this one right now.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me

**_Chapter 6: Timing is Everything_**

It started in grade school when Sasuke would always sit in the front of the class while Naruto sat in the back. He would sit near the window, drowsy from the warmth of the sun and half-listening to the teacher's lectures. The two of them always sat diagonal from each other, so Sasuke could shift his gaze and see him from the corner of his eye.

The only time they could talk was at home, or at Ryuujin meetings. Sometimes, Itachi didn't come home for the night because he was caught up in work. Sasuke would come home late from a match and Naruto would have already gone to bed. So the three of them hardly saw each other, let alone spend quality family time together.

But still, they worried.

Worried for his psychological state.

---

When they entered high school, Neji, Shikamaru, and Sasuke were inseparable from him. All three of them took the time to check up on him before running to attend their club meetings. The three of them acted like his older brothers, which were particularly true because he was the youngest of them all.

In their eyes, he was also the most vulnerable.

The three of them had grown up in loving families with good morals and values.

So it seemed only natural to be protective of him.

He liked the attention. They were his older brothers and his best friends.

But they all had duties. All three of them joined clubs that met everyday after school.

Soon, he found himself walking home alone.

Shikamaru was the most skilled thinker in the Go club. Sasuke was captain of the kendo team and Neji was the best soccer player.

He hadn't joined a club.

The three of them began to feel guilty when they became caught up in their busy schedules but he didn't mind. He was used to being alone.

Still, they worried.

That was when Gaara came into his life.

---

It had been like any other school day. Naruto sat at his desk near the window, reading a book. This time it was a classic, Hamlet, so to speak. It was a tragedy where Hamlet kills his uncle in revenge for killing his father. His family thought it was a sign of emotional distress. He thought they were the crazy ones.

So caught up in the book, he didn't realize the teacher had walked to the door and was currently talking to the principal.

Then, the teacher pushed the door open wider and a boy with crimson red hair and eyes the color of jade walked into the room. There were a lot of hushed whispers to his appearance. The boy wore a black mesh shirt and black denim jeans. His eyes were lined darkly and his gaze was unnerving. But what really set them off was the tattoo on the corner of his forehead.

It was the kanji letter, "ai".

The boy's gaze slowly slid across the room to land on an attractive boy. Dark bangs fell into darker eyes, as the boy shifted slightly. His gaze wasn't on him but was set on something across the room. So the boy with green eyes followed the dark eyed boy to his target, to another boy that was sitting by the window.

The afternoon sunlight shone down onto the boy, making him almost glow in an ethereal appearance. He had the most amazing golden hair and it fell lazily over his eyes as he read. With one hand, he brushed the bangs away and shifted in his seat.

He blinked and realized the teacher was still talking. Then the teacher asked him to introduce himself and he shifted his gaze back to the whole class.

"Gaara." He said, lowly. He blinked when he realized the dark haired boy was glaring at him.

It seemed like he had caught him staring.

The angel by the window slowly looked up and quickly, their eyes met. A soft smile crossed the boy's face and Gaara crossed the room to flop down into the empty desk next to him. He rearranged himself so his legs were on top of the desk and he crossed his arms.

The classroom had turned to stare at him.

He narrowed his eyes and they quickly turned away.

From that day, Gaara always sat next to Naruto. The two were inseparable, much to Shikamaru, Neji, and Sasuke's dismay.

Well Shikamaru and Neji were fine with it.

Sasuke didn't like Gaara at all.

It was their quiet relationship that intrigued the others, because they were so much alike.

---

Naruto's head throbbed as he opened his eyes. Groaning softly, he sat up and gripped the mattress when the world spun.

"Lay down, I don't want you throwing up on my floor." A quiet voice ordered. He obediently lay back down and closed his eyes. When his stomach stopped churning, he opened his eyes again.

First, he examined the white ceiling, staring at the multiple cracks. Then he slowly slid his gaze to the figure at the window. His breath hitched in his throat as the man stared calmly back at him.

"Gaara?" He asked, wincing as his voice cracked from dryness. He coughed and Gaara walked over to the bedside to pour him a glass of water. The man helped him up and watched as he drank half the glass before setting it down onto the table.

"How are you, Naruto?" Gaara asked, gazing at him solemnly. Naruto grinned at him and propped himself on his left arm, before remembering the wound on his left shoulder. He hissed as pain shot through his shoulder and he landed on his back.

"Never better." He laughed when he caught his breath. "It took awhile to look for you."

"You weren't that easy to find either." Gaara told him before turning to face the window.

"Gaara…are you mad at me?" Naruto asked, gazing at the redhead's back. The man said nothing and Naruto sighed. "Yeah, you are mad."

"I didn't say I was." Gaara replied with his back still turned.

"I left so suddenly, Gaara." Naruto said, softly. "I didn't even tell you. Did I make you worry?"

"No."

Then it elapsed into silence. Gaara was still staring out the window and Naruto had closed his eyes. For a long time, they didn't move from their positions.

Finally, Gaara turned around and Naruto opened his eyes.

"You look like shit." Gaara commented and Naruto slowly smiled. "Now, let's get some answers." He walked over to the closet door and swung it open. The beefcake of a man tumbled out and fell to the ground.

"Is that where you always keep your men?" Naruto asked, curiously. The man glanced at him before groveling before the redhead.

"Explain yourself." Gaara said, staring down at the man.

"It was a requested assignment from a man. He was going to pay us if we give him Uchiha Naruto's head!" The man blubbered. "Please forgive me, Boss! Kankuro said it was fine!"

"What was the name of the man?" Gaara asked, glaring down at him.

"I-I don't know!" The man stammered.

"What did he look like?" Gaara continued.

"H-He was wearing a cloak and a weird mask. I swear Boss, I didn't k-" The man's hysterical voice was cut short as Gaara strode forward smoothly. In one quick moment, his hand reached out and grabbed the man by the neck. There was a sickening crack as the man's head lolled to the side and Gaara dropped him onto the floor.

Naruto closed his eyes and turned away. He had forgotten that Gaara had another name. Like how he had earned his, Gaara was ruthless in killing.

Gaara strode toward the door and swung it open. "Bring me Kankuro." He said to the men outside. Then he gazed at the dead man on the floor and added, "Clean up this mess for me."

It was Shukaku.

---

Kankuro strode grimly down the hall toward his younger brother's room. He had seen one of his men in his division being dragged away and realized that Gaara was angry. Actually, he was very angry.

When Gaara was very angry he tend to kill and then explain his actions later.

He had known only one person who had been able to curb Gaara's anger.

Uchiha Naruto.

Gaara had been separated from him and their sister, Temari at a very young age. They had different mothers and the same father but all of them were given up for adoption and were taken into foster homes. Gaara had gone to an unfortunate family with an abusive couple. So Gaara learned to hate at a young age and to love only himself.

When Gaara began high school, Temari and he had rented a small house nearby. The first friend Gaara had brought home was Naruto and it had been his only friend. So when Naruto disappeared, Temari and he had gone with Gaara in search of him. Then, they ended up in the Drylands and started a division.

They had many clients who wanted missions done. Missions usually involved gang related murders and assassination of head family members. A man had hired them to kill a certain man with blonde hair that was heading to the Drylands. Kankuro had accepted foolishly. The payment had been a very large sum. He just didn't know that blonde man had been Naruto.

Swallowing nervously, he stopped outside of his little brother's door and raised his hand to knock. Instead, it swung open and Gaara stared at him with that unnerving gaze.

"Gaara." He nodded, curtly. His eyes raked the room quickly and settled on the blonde man that was sitting upright in Gaara's bed. A bandage was wrapped around his head and another around his left shoulder. "Naruto?"

"Kankuro." Naruto nodded, smiling warmly. If only Gaara had greeted him like that, he would have no trouble. He turned back to his brother and suppressed a shiver. Beneath Gaara's cool collected gaze was boiling fury. He could sense the killing intent that was radiating off of him.

"Who did you take the request from?" Gaara asked, calmly.

"He didn't leave a name." Kankuro said. Suddenly his throat felt dry and he swallowed nervously.

"How did he look like?" Gaara asked, his tone dangerously soft.

"He was wearing a mask." Kankuro told him. "He had a ring."

"A ring?" Gaara repeated.

"With an engraved snake." Kankuro said without thought. It happened so fast, that he didn't see what was coming. Gaara had a knife out and was about to slam it between his eyes when Naruto stopped him. The blonde man had grasped a hold of Gaara's outstretched arm with his right hand. He could tell that he was using every muscle in his body to restrain Gaara.

"Gaara." Naruto said, steadily. "He's your brother."

"I've never considered him as a brother." Gaara replied, levelly. Kankuro flinched at this but wisely chose not to move.

"Gaara." Naruto's voice sharpened. "Don't kill anymore. He didn't know it was Orochimaru." He almost sighed in relief when Gaara dropped his arm. Kankuro could feel the sweat trickling down his back as he realized the wave of danger had passed.

Naruto sighed and placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder. "Orochimaru is moving, I have to get back to Konoha before it's too late. Are you coming with me?"

With one quick move, the knife in Gaara's hand was tossed in the air and sped past Kankuro, missing the top of his head by an inch. The knife slammed into the wall behind him and he looked over his shoulder at the quivering knife with wide eyes.

"Yeah." Gaara smiled.

He was hungry for blood.

---

Sakura ran down the hall breathing heavily. She quickly swung open a door and rush into the room. She went over to the desk and opened the drawer, quickly strapping on guns, throwing knifes, and other weapons. Sasuke stood up quickly and frowned.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Sasuke, Shinja has invaded the building! We have to get you out of here!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Where's the rest?" Sasuke questioned as slid a metal cuff over his fingers.

"Neji is taking care of it." Sakura said, breathlessly. "I was ordered to escape with you as soon as possible!" Sasuke walked over to the desk and reached under it. He pressed a button and a panel slid open on the wall. Sasuke grabbed his gun and waved it at Sakura.

"Let's go." Sasuke ordered as Sakura nodded, grimly. Sakura ran in and Sasuke followed, his hand grazing another button that was inside the passageway. But as the wall slid close, he saw someone enter the room.

A pale face with long dark hair and reptilian-like eyes met his and he felt his blood chill.

Orochimaru.

---

Neji and few of his men ran down the hall. He was desperate in finding a way out of the building as soon as possible. He had told Sakura to protect Sasuke but it would probably end up the other way around. He saw the glint of a knife from the corner of his eyes and turned swiftly. There was a gunshot and the man fell to the ground.

"Yo, Neji!" Kiba and his men ran toward him. "Your reflexes are getting slow."

"Shut up." Neji muttered as he fell in step with Kiba. They found the stairs and quickly ran down the two levels before they caught up with Shikamaru. Then they ran out to the front of the building and joined up with the others. Sasuke and Sakura stood shock still with Chouji, Shino, and Tenten in front of them. They slowed to a stop as they stared at the gang of Shinja. It was huge.

"Holy shit." Shikamaru cursed, rubbing his head tiredly. Shinja was two times larger in size than Ryuujin was.

"Sasuke." Sakura whispered, trembling in fear. "What do we do?" Sasuke slowly walked out to the front so he was facing Orochimaru.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Orochimaru hissed.

"Orochimaru." Sasuke replied, coolly. His dark eyes blazed in anger. "We finally meet."

"Indeed we do." Orochimaru smiled, he turned to his right where Kabuto walked forward. "Last of the Uchihas." The man's smile widened even more. "I'm sad to say we had to dispose of your brother."

"I know you killed Itachi." Sasuke shot back.

"Not just Itachi." Orochimaru replied. Sasuke took a moment to register this and he paled.

"…Naruto?" Sasuke stammered. When that smile turned into a sickly grin, Sasuke's eyes widened. "It can't be."

"He was killed by Drylanders." Orochimaru laughed in delight. "Kabuto, give him our present." The man with silver hair threw a bundle at him and Sasuke caught it immediately. His hands trembled as he saw a tuff of golden hair peeking out of the fabric. He slowly peeled the fabric back and revealed a head with golden hair and a distorted face.

There were collective gasps throughout the Ryuujin as Sasuke carefully touched the bloodstained hair with his fingertips. Then, in fury, he hurled the head back at Orochimaru. The man frowned and Kabuto batted it aside. "That's not, Naruto." Sasuke said, stiffly. "Don't toy with me, Orochimaru!"

"How are you sure?" Chouji asked, looking very green in the face.

"I know." Sasuke replied. Then he looked up and smiled. "This is the dance of death, Orochimaru. Are you ready?"

There was a loud roar of a motorbike and Orochimaru turned at the disturbance. Two motorcyclists shot over the crowd and into the middle of the circle. First, the gangs took in the appearance of the silver dragons on the shirts they wore and the Uchiha fan symbol on one of the men's sleeve. The first rider took off his helmet and revealed a shock of red hair. The second revealed blonde spikes.

"Sorry I'm late, Sasuke." Naruto said, turning to look at him. "I got into a little trouble." He got off his bike and Gaara did the same.

There was a soft purring sound and gradually became a loud roar. They looked around and were shocked to see the great amount of bikers circling around them. Beyond the circling bikes were hundreds more.

"You disrupted our annual race." Gaara said, speaking up. "So we came here to have fun."

"Then let's play." Naruto smiled.

Once again, the two demons roam the streets.

---

TBC…this chapter was okay…I didn't really like it though.


	7. Tears of Heaven

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** PG

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Naruto

A/N: Here's another chapter…I haven't been updating…because I can't find any sasunaru to motivate me sighs Plus…I did horrible on my psych exam today. This is a good one…tissue alert. I cried.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

_**Chapter 7: Tears of Heaven**_

The rain poured down heavily, drenching their hair and plastering it to their skulls. The cold liquid slid down their necks and into their shirts that clung tightly against their body. But it wasn't the only thing that fell to the ground; crimson red raindrops danced between the tears of heaven and fell to the ground together. The roar of thunder and the occasional flashes of lightning lit up their faces, grave and determined and never minding as the horrible storm handicapped their agility.

Naruto's lips were set in a grim line as he stood in the rain, facing his opponent, Kabuto. The other man stared at him, raindrops on his glasses and a smirk on his face.

"Kabuto." He said, softly. Kabuto's smile widened and he flexed the grip on his weapon, an iron pipe.

"Naruto." Kabuto replied.

The two forces clashed together.

---

It had been a night just like this, so many years ago. It had been Saturday and Itachi had called home, saying that he was staying at work to finish some business. Sasuke and Naruto had gone to bed many hours ago, and only the maid received the call.

At around midnight when the household help had gone to bed, Naruto jolted awake as a flicker of light lit up the room. A loud clap of thunder quickly followed. Cornflower blue eyes widening in fear, he curled up in a ball underneath his covers, trembling slightly.

It was silly really, Naruto was 14 years old and he was still afraid of a little storm. He whimpered and flinched as raindrops hit the window and gusts of wind made the tree outside scratch its branches against the glass. He really didn't want to bother Sasuke that late at night.

Through the thin blanket, he saw the room briefly light up again from a flash of thunder and gave a small cry when a clap of thunder followed. Something fell on top of his head and he cried out, throwing the blanket off him in surprise.

"Naruto?" Sasuke gazed at him with worried eyes and Naruto stared at him and to the opened door. Since when did he walk in? "I knocked but you didn't answer." Naruto looked up at his foster brother, taking in how the boy blended into the shadows of the room with his dark hair and eyes, except for the bright contrast of the white t-shirt Sasuke wore.

"Sasuke." Naruto whispered. Sasuke frowned and walked closer to him.

"You're trembling." He commented, sitting down next to him.

"I-I am?" Naruto stuttered. Sasuke looked outside and back at him, his dark eyes softening a little.

"It's just a little storm, Naruto." Sasuke told him. "It won't get in." Lightning brightened up the room and Naruto briefly took in the sight of Sasuke's face before a clap of thunder shattered the serenity. Naruto gasped and dove forward, circling his arms around Sasuke's waist. Sasuke tensed before running his fingers through Naruto's messy hair.

This was the first time that Itachi hadn't been home during a bad storm. Storms were rare in Konoha and when they did have one, they would cuddle up to Itachi in his bed while his warm voice lulled them into a drowsy state. Every morning after the night of the storm, they found themselves back in their own rooms. Itachi would be downstairs, waiting for them at the breakfast table.

"Naruto." Sasuke began.

"Don't leave me." Naruto whimpered, circling his arms tighter around his waist.

"Naruto, look at me." Sasuke said, gently. Naruto looked up slowly and blinked. Sasuke, seeing his confused and adorable face couldn't help but give in on an impulse and leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips.

The blonde boy blinked in surprise and licked his lips when Sasuke pulled away. Then, Sasuke pushed him down onto the bed, his lips meeting Naruto's in a deeper kiss. They felt themselves drowning in passion, love, and lust as they forgot all their senses. All they could concentrate on was each of their rapid heartbeats, mingling into harmony.

They even forgot to breathe.

Sasuke's hand slowly reached up under the younger boy's t-shirt and drew circles around the younger boy's navel with his index finger.

Then the phone rang.

Both of them pulled apart and inhaled deeply to their air deprived lungs. They looked away from each other, panting softly and grateful that the darkness was hiding their blushing faces.

The phone rang.

Naruto looked down at his hands, shyly and Sasuke raked a hand through his dark spikes at a loss of words.

The phone rang.

Giving an irritated sigh, Sasuke reached over and picked up the phone. Naruto slowly looked up when he felt Sasuke tense beside him. "Sasuke, what's wrong?" He asked, softly. A flash of lightning lit up the room and cast over Sasuke's face. Sasuke's complexion was pale and his eyes were wide with fear. "Sasuke?"

"Naruto." Sasuke croaked as he set the phone back in its place. "It's Itachi."

A clap of thunder shook him senseless.

---

The hallways were bright and white. They felt like they were running down a tunnel to the bright light beyond. This was like death.

The emergency room light was flaring red when they turned the corridor and through the window, they saw Itachi lying on the table. Doctors and nurses scrambled about, linking up tubing and trying to stop Itachi's bleeding. His body had been mutilated and was convulsing on the cold hospital table. Itachi's lips were tinted blue and his complexion was pale. Blood and rainwater stained the Ryuujin gang leader's clothes and all over the table and onto the medics' hands.

Sasuke and Naruto stared, their eyes wide and their lips parted in horror.

Itachi turned his head and took in sight of them. His dark eyes glazed and his fingertips lifted a little to reach out toward them. His lips, slowly moved and Naruto hit the glass with his hand as Itachi's arm fell limp and his body slackened on the table. A flat line emitted from the heart monitor and the doctor quickly tried to jump-start Itachi's heart.

Each time, Itachi's body jerked upward and fell back to the table. But Itachi didn't move, he didn't breathe, he didn't blink.

His dark eyes stared at them, dull and lifeless.

"I'm sorry." Someone said behind them. "We lost him." They turned to stare at the doctor that had been in the room, his hands were still covered in Itachi's blood and he looked stricken with sympathy and sorrow.

"No." Naruto gasped, as he looked over his shoulder in horror. "No."

"Uchiha Itachi is dead." The doctor declared, gently.

"No!" Naruto's eyes widened and a feral look crossed his face. "I'll kill you!" Sasuke caught him around the waist as the boy lunged forward and the doctor backed up quickly. "Let me go, Sasuke! I'll kill him!" Naruto roared.

All Sasuke could do was hold Naruto back and stared into his older brother's lifeless eyes, he was frozen and his mind had completely blanked out.

Itachi…was dead?

In the end, Naruto had to be injected with a tranquilizer and taken away. Sasuke had slumped to the ground, unable to get Itachi's last words out of his mind. He had been calling for them, trying to reach them.

Sasuke.

Naruto.

---

It rained on Itachi's funeral, all of Ryuujin's members and family organizations were there. Other gangs came to give their condolences to a deceased former gang leader.

_Uchiha Itachi, loved and honored by all._

Sasuke and Naruto were the last ones to stare at Itachi's casket. It was black, polished wood so they could see their reflections on it. Naruto threw his flower onto the coffin; a single blood red rose bleaching into the pile of snow-white roses. Sasuke watched the boy's face, blank and void of all emotion. His eyes were a dull blue and slightly red from crying.

Sasuke wrapped an arm around Naruto's waist and drew him closer. Naruto looked up at him tiredly before closing his eyes halfway as he leaned onto his shoulder. Sasuke kissed his rose and tossed it to land beside Naruto's.

Then, they watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground. The silver emblem of the Uchiha symbol glinting dully as the coffin settled onto the bottom. Naruto picked up a handful of soil and tossed it onto the coffin, the brown dirt speckled the white roses and slid off the black polished wood. Sasuke did the same, and soil began to be shoveled on top of the coffin.

As the silver Uchiha emblem disappeared from the shower of soil, Sasuke turned around. His eyes narrowing as he caught sight of a man with long dark hair enter a black car. His right hand clenched into a fist and his jaw clenched as his eyes followed the car as it drove away.

_Older brother, Naruto and I will avenge you._

---

He blinked rapidly as rainwater ran into his eyes. He was soaked from head to toe and it was a bit difficult to move. Kabuto, had long discarded his glasses and was standing before him with rainwater and blood running into his eyes. A shallow cut near the man's temple hadn't stopped bleeding.

Both of them panted heavily, Kabuto was far off worse than Naruto.

"Give up, Kabuto." Naruto said, with his share of bruises and cuts. "I don't want to kill you."

"You won't." Kabuto smiled as he straightened. Naruto's gaze remained still as the man shifted his stance. Then, Kabuto charged forward. Naruto sidestepped and caught Kabuto's arm as he went by. Twisting the wrist quickly, Kabuto gave a cry as his weapon dropped from his grasp. With another motion, Naruto brought the man's arm behind his back and held it firmly. Kabuto raised his leg and Naruto leaned back to avoid the back kick to his face. Kabuto grunted in pain as Naruto tightened his hold on his arm.

Kabuto suddenly chuckled and Naruto's eyes widened, he turned around too late and a sharp pain ripped through his wounded shoulder. This forced him to let Kabuto go, but not before sending the man sprawling onto his face. With a hiss of pain, he tore the small knife from his shoulder and cursed as blood spilled from the wound and stained his shirt.

His eyes caught sight of the Shinja gang member who was nervously inching away and his hand jerked. The knife flew from his fingertips and embedded itself into the man's throat. He fell choking on his own blood. Naruto gripped his wounded shoulder tightly and stared at Kabuto as the man got up slowly. "You play dirty." He said, accusingly.

"I play dirty to win." Kabuto smiled. The sly look on his face made Naruto's skin crawl.

"I killed a man." Naruto replied. Kabuto's eyes widened before they narrowed.

"What do you mea-." Kabuto was cut off as Naruto moved forward with surprising speed. In a blink of an eye, Naruto's hand was curled around his neck. "Y-You." He gasped as he clawed at Naruto's hand. The grip tightened and Kabuto choked.

"There's no turning back, is there?" Naruto asked, softly. The glazed, sleepy look in Naruto's eyes made Kabuto's blood run cold.

"K-Kyuubi." Kabuto stammered.

"The one and only." Naruto smiled as his fingers drove into Kabuto's windpipe and Kabuto's head lolled to the side. Slowly, Naruto released Kabuto's neck and the man fell backwards and onto the ground. Stepping up to the man, he leaned down and ran his hand over Kabuto's open eyes, closing them forever. "Forgive me." Then he turned and walked away, leaving Kabuto's body to the tears of heaven.

---

Sasuke fell to the ground, cradling his left hand in his right. His opponent gazed at him with a bright smile. "Poor Sasuke. Did you break your wrist?" He asked in an annoying singsong voice.

"Shut up." Sasuke growled as he got up slowly. Shinja's gang leader watched him in amusement and slowly ran a hand through his drenched locks of hair.

"Temper, temper." Orochimaru sighed, mockingly. "Didn't Itachi teach you to respect your elders."

"Itachi is dead." Sasuke reminded him, angrily.

"Oh yes." Orochimaru replied as if he it had skipped his mind. He smiled devilishly and ran his tongue along the blade of his knife, licking clean of the blood that had stained it. Sasuke's face contorted with disgust at the sight. "Do you want to die nice and slowly? Or quick and easy?"

"What do you prefer?" Sasuke sneered.

"Probably nice and slowly." Orochimaru said thoughtfully. "Or maybe, you'll just watch as I toy with your brother before your own eyes." Sasuke's gaze sharpened.

"Naruto?" He gasped, sharply.

"You haven't been told, have you?" Orochimaru asked, with surprise. "About your younger brother?"

"Tell me what?" Sasuke demanded.

"That Naruto's lineage comes from a head family of Shinja." Orochimaru smiled, widely. "Uzumaki." Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Does it matter?" Sasuke demanded. "He was left to die!"

"His father probably but not I." Orochimaru said, tilting his head to the side. "You see, Naruto was given to me by his father. But regretting his decision too late, the man stole him from me and threw him out onto the streets. That was one place where we didn't look." The Shinja leader tapped the tip of his long knife on his chin and an almost thoughtful look crossed his face. "His father also owed a large debt to me, so I took the repayment in blood. The Uzumaki family was massacred on my orders."

"You're sick." Sasuke snapped.

"No, I think I'm perfectly fine." Orochimaru grinned. "But one Uzumaki is still alive, I think I'll spare him. He and his father look alike." Orochimaru licked his lips. "I wonder if they taste the same." Sasuke's temper snapped and he ran forward, lashing out. The knife in his hand slashed Orochimaru's chest and the gang leader stumbled back.

"Wrong move." Orochimaru hissed as he dove forward. Sasuke stepped back, quickly and two knives flew past his face. One of them embedded into Orochimaru's weapon wielding hand and the other grazed the man's pale face. A trickle of blood fell from the cut on his face.

The man howled in agony and jerked the knife from his hand.

"You killed my family?" A voice came.

Sasuke looked up and stiffened, Naruto stood there, his hands at his sides and with a dangerous look in his eyes.

"Naruto?" He managed, softly. He had seen that look before.

His throat felt dry and he swallowed with difficulty.

It was the killing intent of the Kyuubi.

---

TBC…I really really enjoyed writing this chapter…Itachi! tears I had to kill him again! No more! I won't create any more fics were Itachi dies!!!


	8. Payback

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** PG

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Naruto

A/N: I've been trying hard to keep up with my updates but I have a paper due soon so I've been busy! So here you go!

Thanks for the reviews! I read through them quickly so I can't single out everyone's questions, but I'm not sure if I'm going to involve Kakashi, Iruka, or other Jounins because I'm not really sure how to write them in.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me

**_Chapter 8: Payback_**

"You killed my family?" Naruto asked, his eyes glowing strangely.

"Naruto." Sasuke looked over his shoulder in surprise and froze as the blonde's frightening expression. There was so much killing intent that was flowing off of him and Orochimaru inhaled deeply. A wide smile crossed his face and he licked his lips.

"I like that look on your face." The man commented as he eyed Naruto with interest.

"Answer me." Naruto growled, baring his teeth viciously.

"Yes, you heard right." Orochimaru gave a nod. "I ordered the massacre of the Uzumaki family and you are the last one. As I told you."

"You also killed Itachi." Naruto whispered, angrily. Orochimaru ran a hand through his mass of dark locks, grimacing slightly when he snagged a knot. "You killed not only my family but you killed Itachi!"

"Past history." Orochimaru sighed dramatically as he gave up in working his fingers through the tangles of his hair. He dropped his arm back to the side and Naruto balled his hands into fists.

"I'll kill you."

The words were spoken with such venom that the hair prickled on the back of Sasuke's neck.

"How do you want to die?" Naruto asked, pleasantly as all traces of anger seemed to disappear from his voice. "Slow and painfully?"

"You think you can beat me?" Orochimaru asked, throwing his head back and laughing wildly. "Don't forget the debt your father owes me and the blood repayment I want." His eyes flickered over to Sasuke and he looked up with confusion.

"Dead men don't need repayments." Naruto smiled before lurching forward with a snarl. Orochimaru stepped back and turned a shade paler as Naruto's hands came down in a swipe.

The side of his face stung as Naruto's fingers clawed his cheek and came down in a swipe, clawing a diagonal line across his chest. Orochimaru's shirt came off in ribbons and the Shinja leader snarled before swinging down with his pipe. Naruto smiled nastily before blocking it with his forearm. Orochimaru grunted as Naruto's other hand came from below and slammed into Orochimaru's stomach. The pipe in his hand flew out of his grip and he slid back, clutching his stomach.

"You." Orochimaru gasped, narrowing his eyes. Naruto swung back around to face him and his legs drew apart, his fingers curved into claws and held away from his body. "Dragon form?"

"Dragon form?" Sasuke repeated as he stared at Naruto and his weird stance. Itachi had taught him and Naruto that form when they were younger. The form was deadly and had been passed down through Ryuujin's Uchiha bloodline. Sasuke had only used it once or twice, but it was the first time he had seen Naruto use it so naturally.

"So Itachi had taught you, an _outsider_, the dragon form." Orochimaru laughed in delight. "I didn't know he was that flexible."

"Shut up." Sasuke snapped. "Naruto is an Uchiha."

"By adoption, only." Orochimaru smirked. "It wasn't like Kenji favored the boy. It was only to Itachi's whims that he kept the stray under his roof."

"You're lying! Father thought of Naruto as one of his sons." Sasuke glared.

"Uchiha Kenji knew who Naruto was." Orochimaru sniffed in disdain. "He knew that he was an Uzumaki and was very valuable to the forces of Shinja. Even Itachi knew who he was, but they never told him."

"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled as he quickly glanced over to Naruto.

"There is one other thing..." Orochimaru said as his eyes widened.

"No!" Sasuke blurted out as he ran forward.

"You were genetically created." Orochimaru finished. Sasuke slid to a stop and turn around to stare at Naruto, his mouth opened in horror.

"Don't listen to what he's saying!" Sasuke said, desperation evident on his face. "He's lying!"

"Are you sure you're not the one that's lying, Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked, pleased at the turn of results.

"I was…genetically created?" Naruto repeated, paling.

"Science gave you birth. Just like Gaara." Orochimaru smiled. "You two were created to be demonic killing machines. The intent was to enforce the power of Shinja. "

"Is that why…" Naruto's shaking hands reached up to touch his face where faint whisker like marks ran over his cheeks. He brought his hands away to stare at his hands and noticed the slight sharpness in his nails. Now he knew why he always felt different from others. With his unbelievable IQ and Gaara's unbelievable IQ, he should have known something was up.

---

_"Ouch!" Naruto winced as the knife slipped in his grasp and cut across his index finger. _

_"Are you okay?" Naruto looked up and saw Gaara staring at him._

_"I'm fine." Naruto grinned as he resumed cutting the tomatoes for the sandwiches. "I heal fast."_

_"Do you know why?" Gaara asked, with that unnerving gaze. But Naruto was used to it so he just laughed and placed the tomato slices onto a plate._

_"What do you mean?" He asked as he wiped the knife clean and took out a loaf of bread. _

_"You will know when the time comes." Gaara responded, quietly. Naruto looked up, confused at his response and realized that Gaara had left the room._

---

"Gaara knew." Naruto whispered, his eyes widening is disbelief. "He knew and he didn't tell me?"

"Naruto…" Sasuke said, hopelessly.

"Sasuke! Did you know?" Naruto asked, turning to him. "Did you know that I was-." Sasuke lowered his gaze and looked away. "Sasuke!"

"I knew." Sasuke said, quietly. "Itachi and Father knew too."

"You all knew and you never told me?" Naruto snapped as he stared at the ground. That was why the head families of Ryuujin had always shot him dirty looks. At the Ryuujin family parties, he had always felt eyes on him and voices that thought he was too naïve to understand. He just hadn't realized what it meant until now.

---

_"…DNA…fox…" A voice whispered._

_Naruto forced his gaze onto the ground and clutched tighter onto Itachi's hand. Sasuke, who was on the other side of Itachi, stared at Naruto with worry. He tugged on Itachi's shirt hem and glanced up at his older brother._

_"Naruto?" Itachi asked, quietly as he paused in mid stride. "What's wrong?" Naruto shook his head and his eyes remained on the ground._

_"…outsider…not even human…"_

_Naruto stiffened and Itachi's head shot up as he looked around the crowds for the source of the soft murmurs. Then, Itachi placed his hand on top of Naruto's head and smiled gently. "Are you hungry, Naruto?" He asked. Naruto shook his head, refusing to lift his head up. Sasuke quickly walked in front of Naruto and tapped his shoulder. When the boy looked up, Sasuke flicked him on the forehead._

_"Ouch." Naruto winced as his hands reached up to cover his head. "Sasuke, what did you do that for?"_

_"I felt like it." Sasuke replied with a grin. He took his hand and tugged him forward. "Let's go get some dango!"_

_"Ah…dango?" Naruto began before the boy with dark hair pulled him away from Itachi and into the crowd._

_Itachi smiled at the fleeting figures before his eyes narrowed and his lips set into a hard line. "If I hear anyone talk about my younger brother in such an indirect way, ever again." He said in a voice that sent shivers down the spines of the people who stood in crowds around him. "They will receive severe punishment." _

_"Aniki!" Sasuke called as Itachi strolled toward the pair. His eyes softened as he gazed at Naruto who still had his eyes trained on the ground. _

_Uchiha Itachi wasn't one to make empty threats or promises._

---

"I knew they were talking about me." Naruto's voice cracked and Sasuke stepped toward him.

"Naruto…" He began.

"Don't come near me!" He yelled. "I'll kill you if you come near me!" His pupils in his eyes seemed to dilate into fox-like slits and Sasuke froze.

"Kyuubi…" He breathed, anxiously.

"That's why they called me that, didn't they?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes as hurt, anger, and sadness washed over the blue hue. "The demonic fox." His hands shook and he covered his face with a moan. "I'm not human."

"Yes you are!" Sasuke insisted as he stepped closer.

"They hated you." Orochimaru crooned in delight. "You're right, Naruto. You are a monster."

"Enough!" Sasuke roared as he ran forward, his fingers reached down to his leg to where a pouch was strapped. He drew up two kunais, weapons that he had been specially trained in from his father. With a mighty leap, he jumped into the air and crashed down onto Orochimaru, kunais out to draw blood. The Shinja gang leader saw this coming and took a step back before Sasuke could drive one of his kunai's in the man's throat but into his shoulder instead. With a roar, Orochimaru grabbed onto Sasuke's swollen wrist and wrenched it so the other kunai dropped from his grip. Sasuke screamed in pain.

With a vicious tug, Sasuke pulled the kunai out of Orochimaru's shoulder and swung wildly. The man screamed as Sasuke released his grip on the handle and flew back from a kick in the midsection. With eyes closed, Sasuke awaited the sound of his flesh meeting the wet pavement and was surprised when arms wrapped around him.

The two of them fell to the ground, Sasuke landing on his back on top of his savior's chest. The arms around him tightened and Sasuke tilted his head to the side as Naruto buried his nose into the crook of his neck. Sasuke's eyes narrowed before they widened on the Shinja leader before them. Orochimaru was on his knees, one hand covering his right eye where blood dripped between the splayed fingers. He felt sick and fascinated at the same time.

"You missed." Naruto mumbled. Sasuke realized he was right, if he had slammed the kunai into Orochimaru's eye any deeper, he would have reached the brain. Sasuke made sound between a laugh and a groan. "Hey…Sasuke…"

He turned and looked over his shoulder at the top of Naruto's golden hair. "I just realized that if you knew that I was…" He trailed off before resuming. "You knew what I was when you told me you loved me."

"Believe it or not, Naruto, your father was close to mine." Sasuke told him, quietly. "That was how Itachi knew where to find you. Even if…you were born without natural conception, you were still valued to your father. You also shared most of his genes."

"My father?" Naruto whispered, closing his eyes tightly.

---

_A young boy with golden hair and large blue eyes looked up as the door to his playroom swung open. A man stood there, out of breath, blue-green eyes bloodshot and golden hair in an unkempt mess. He quickly scanned the room before landing onto him. "Naruto." He said as he strolled forward purposely. "Come with me."_

_"Anata?" A Japanese woman with black hair and brown eyes appeared in the doorway. She gasped and flung down her dishtowel that she was currently wiping her hands with. "What are you doing?"_

_"Sora." The man said, hoarsely. "It's nothing."_

_"Are you talking him to Orochimaru?" The woman demanded as she quickly grabbed onto the child. "We can't let that monster that Naru-chan! He doesn't deserve him!"_

_"Sora, don't worry." The man replied as he grabbed her hands. "I won't let anything happen to Naruto. I'm taking him away so he won't fall into Orochimaru's clutches."_

_"Asato, be careful!" She whispered as her eyes glittered with tears. Quickly she wrapped the blonde child in a hug and slipped a chain over his neck. "Remember Naruto, Okaasan loves you." _

_"Okaasan?" The boy repeated, softly as his blue eyes took in her teary face._

_"We have to go." The man announced as he lifted the boy into his arms. He walked out the door and the woman sobbed, falling onto her knees. As the door swung shut behind them, the boy with the large blue eyes stared over his father's shoulders._

_None of them noticed as the silver chain around the boy's neck broke and fell to the floor, followed by a rain of metal strips._

---

Naruto drew in a long shuddering breath and tightened his hold even more on Sasuke. Seeing the younger man needed comfort, he leaned back and felt the warmth of their closeness. The never-ending rain beat down on their heads, unnoticed. They sat in silence as Naruto breathed into his neck and Sasuke kept his eyes on the Shinja gang leader.

"I remember." Naruto said after a long silence. Sasuke shifted a little so he could see the top of Naruto's head over his shoulder. Orochimaru stood up and glared at them through his good left eye. "Otousan and Okaasan loved me very much. Even though I was special, they still loved me."

"Naruto…" Sasuke murmured.

"Otousan took me away." Naruto continued. "He left me in an alley and told me to stay put." Naruto sighed softly, his warm breath tickling Sasuke's neck. "But I didn't and I got lost. So I wandered on the streets at night because the police would try to catch me in the daylight. I was lucky that Itachi found me."

"Aniki and Father looked for you for weeks." Sasuke responded, quietly. "After we heard of your father's death, Itachi looked for you harder than before. We were about to assume you were dead." Sasuke's hand reached up to wrap around his forearm. "You're right, luck was on your side when Itachi found you. But when he brought you home, I felt that it was perfect. That you came to us or at least you came to me."

"You're such a sap, Sasuke." Naruto laughed, lowly. "So what are going to do with him?" Naruto slowly raised his head and they stared at the Shinja gang leader before them.

"My kunais are always poisoned." Sasuke commented as Orochimaru suddenly gripped his chest. "It runs like molten liquid in your veins. I was prepared to watch you die nice and slowly."

"You!" Orochimaru roared as he staggered to his feet.

"The faster your heart beats, the more pain you'll feel. A thousand needles will stab you multiple times." Sasuke whispered, his face void of emotion. "Each time will be payback for Itachi. Then, your insides will start to burn like acid burning away at your organs. This will be repayment for the Naruto's family." Sasuke smiled softly and his dark eyes glittered with anticipation. "Lastly, your pulse will race and your heart will beat faster and faster. Until it explodes."

Orochimaru made a gurgling noise and slid onto the ground.

"Um." Naruto coughed, he looked pale from the description Sasuke had just given them. He spotted Sasuke's wrist and edged away from Sasuke, tearing a strip from the bottom of his shirt and revealing a smooth expanse of golden skin. Sasuke silently watched as Naruto wrapped it around his wrist and tied it into a knot.

"Thanks." He smiled as Naruto stood and helped him up. But Naruto's eyes widened and he was pushed out of the way. Sasuke fell hard to his side and he was dimly aware of the sound of a gun being fired. Naruto stood in the same place, crouched over in shock with his hands covering his stomach. "Naruto!" He yelled, horrified as he scrambled to his feet.

With the last of his sanity, Orochimaru had drawn out a gun. Now it dropped out of his hand and clattered noisily onto the ground. The night was briefly illuminated with a flash of lightning and Orochimaru fell back onto the ground, staring up into the sky. Laughter rumbled in his chest and spilled out from his throat. It grew louder and louder until is competed with the clap of thunder that was issued.

Sasuke, filled with terror ran toward Naruto whose blue eyes had glazed over.

Lightning flashed again as Naruto fell forward and onto the wet pavement.

Orochimaru continued to laugh hysterically.

A clap of thunder followed.

Sasuke screamed.

---

TBC! More of Naruto's and Sasuke's past history spilled! Yay! =D


	9. Stirring the Ashes

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** PG

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Naruto

A/N: Sorry for the wait people! It still will be a while before this fic ends. I was going to give it a dramatic angsty ending, but I decided to be nicer. I'll give it a dramatic angsty ending later on. Bwaha!

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**_Chapter 9: Stirring the Ashes_**

A roll of thunder momentarily deafened Hyuuga Neji as he glanced around cautiously. Quick footsteps approached from behind him and he swung around, drawing a knife out from underneath his rain-slicked coat.

"Whoa." Shikamaru barely avoided the quick slash of the knife at his face and Neji's eyes widened.

"Shikamaru." Neji greeted the bike tech as he relaxed. With nimble fingers, he placed the knife back in its sheath under his coat. "Have you seen Sasuke or Naruto?"

"Yeah. They were fighting Orochimaru back there." Shikamaru said, breathlessly. "I came to get back up."

The sound of a gun being fired sliced through the air and their heads shot up. A sharp crack of lightning lit up the skies for a mere second before it was followed by a horrified scream. Shikamaru and Neji's eyes met.

Sasuke.

They rushed in the direction where Shikamaru had come from.

---

The world was numbing and colors bled together as he ran toward Naruto. Orochimaru had stopped laughing and was babbling insanely as the poison chorused through his veins. Sasuke had hoped to enjoy watching the man die slowly but he had other matters on his hands.

Naruto.

He crouched down and turned the blonde over, gasping softly as blood continued to spill out from the bullet wound in his stomach. "Naruto! Naruto!" He furiously shook him.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto's blue eyes opened halfway and he reached up with his bloodied hand. Sasuke gripped it tightly as the rain continued to beat relentlessly down on them. "It hurts." He managed as he groaned in pain.

"Sasuke!" He turned to look over his shoulder at the two men who ran up to them. Neji and Shikamaru blanched at the sight before them.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru exclaimed in dismay as he sunk to knees beside him.

"Shika…take Sasuke. Hinata should have called the police." Naruto whispered.

"Hinata did?" Neji asked as he glanced worriedly at the blonde.

"All part of the plan." Naruto grinned. "Everything will turn out right. Trust me, Sasuke."

"I'm not leaving you here!" Sasuke snapped, eyes wide in fear. "I don't want to lose you again!"

"Sasuke…" Naruto's eyes blurred over with tears. "You were always there for me, Sasuke. So I decided to return the favor since I left you all alone, all these years."

"Naruto, save your strength." Sasuke replied, hoarsely.

"I was scared Sasuke. I didn't want to lose you like we lost Itachi." Naruto continued, eyes half-closed. "But then I realized, I needed to protect you. Not because you were the Ryuujin Gangju leader, but because I love you and that's all I can do."

Sirens wailed in the distance and Neji tugged on Sasuke's arm. They had to leave _now_.

"Don't touch me." Sasuke hissed, venomously and Neji tightened his grip.

"Sasuke, we have to go." Neji told him. They were on a personal level now.

The sirens were closer now and a car skidded around the corner and screeched to a stop. Gaara stepped out of the passenger side. Tenten waved at them.

"Let's go, hurry!" She said.

"I'll take care of him." Gaara said, eyes betraying no emotion as they raked over Naruto's body. Shikamaru and Neji nodded before forcefully dragging Sasuke into the car.

"Naruto!" He yelled as Neji silently shut the door behind them. Tenten immediately sped off and Sasuke spun around in the back seat, staring as Gaara watched them drive away. He turned back around and with shaking hands, drew his legs to his chest. "If anything happens to him, I'll have all your heads."

Shikamaru and Neji said nothing as they stared out the window and Tenten drove in silence.

Nothing could erase the uneasiness that rested on their minds.

---

It was a slow night shift and Hinata stretched her arms over her head, sighing as her eyes flickered over the paperwork on the desk. She stared at the phone for possibly the thousandth time that night, and willed it to ring. She had done what Naruto had asked her to do.

She had called the police and told them about the gang war.

But she hoped that everyone was all right.

"Neji. Naruto." She murmured. Then a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Kiba."

The phone suddenly rang and she jumped, her hands brushing against a stack of paperwork and knocking it over onto the floor. She took a deep breath to relax her nerves and quickly picked the phone up.

"Konoha Hospital. How may I direct your call?" She asked, breathlessly. There was a pause at the other end.

"Hinata?" Neji's voice came through. "Can you bring some things to my house? Some of us have a few minor injuries."

"Neji! Are you all right?" Hinata asked. "Is Naruto and Kiba all right? What about Sasuke?" There was a hesitant pause and her cousin answered.

"We're all fine. Come as soon as possible." He replied before hanging up. Hinata stared at the phone in her hand before replacing it back in its cradle. She exhaled shakily and got up to pick up the papers on the floor before heading over to her cousin's house.

----

"How is he?" Gaara asked his older sister. Temari gave him a glance before double-checking the bandages wound tightly around Naruto's chest.

"He's fine. The bullet wasn't deep and it was shot at an awkward angle." Temari told him. "Plus, he has fast healing abilities like you."

Gaara nodded, slightly. "So he told him." He said, voice devoid of all emotion. "It was about time."

"It seems like you two are almost like brothers." Temari said, gently. "After all, you both were created as tools for Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru." Gaara smiled, slightly. Before they had left, he had seen to it that the Shinja gang leader was dead. He did so by plunging his fingers into Orochimaru's windpipe and watched as the little light left in his eyes, slowly died out. "When do you think he'll wake up?"

"Soon, I suppose." Temari said as she glanced over at the sleeping blonde. "Are you going to tell him about his past?"

"Yes."

Temari sighed softly and patted her little brother on his shoulder. "Make sure he stays hydrated when he wakes up. I have to run some errands if we're going to stay here for awhile." She quietly picked up at the tray of bandages and antiseptics before walking out of the room.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara murmured, walking over to the window to wait for him to come around.

---

"…war between the two most powerful gangs."

"It's swarming the media." Chouji commented through a mouthful of chips. Hinata looked up briefly before returning to her task of bandaging Tenten's arm.

"….the Ryuujin and Shinja."

"Hn." Came Sasuke's silent reply.

"No witnesses and no bodies found. But it seems like the Shinja Gangju leader was killed."

"What about, Naruto?" Sakura said, quietly as she gazed at the television. "Do you think he's okay?" Sasuke shot out of his seat and paced angrily through the den, a dark scowl on his face.

"How troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as he raked a hand through his shoulder length brown hair. He had removed it from its customary ponytail and it fell silkily on his black mesh shirt. With a frown, he batted away Kiba's curious hand.

"How did all of you hold up?" Sasuke asked, finally as he turned to face them.

"Good." Neji replied as Tenten nodded silently in agreement.

"They were really strong." Chouji mumbled.

"I know its not over." Sakura said, quietly as she ran a hand through her cropped hair. The girl she had fought was vicious and had grabbed her hair, so Sakura had neatly cut through her own hair to escape. "Orochimaru won't be shot down that easily."

"But he's dead." Kiba spoke up. "They announced it on the news and everything!"

"Sakura is right, I'm sure it's far from over." Tenten frowned. "I mean, who is going to be Orochimaru's successor?" They all stared at her, filling with dread.

"Do you think Orochimaru has a son…?" Sakura asked as she gazed at Tenten. Tenten shrugged and Neji straightened abruptly.

"Well, we know that at least with Orochimaru dead, we must proceed carefully. That was why Naruto made sure Sasuke wasn't at the scene or something could happen to the companies that is under the Uchiha name."

Sasuke sat down in his chair and buried his face into his hands. Oh yes, the companies that used to belong to his father. Since Uchiha Kenji was the head of the operation, all other companies that belong to the families within Ryuujin were under the protection of the Uchiha name. But if the Uchiha name were to become tainted, it would destroy the entire foundation.

"Well, what should I do now?" Sasuke asked. Neji frowned and crossed his arms.

"Lay low until Naruto recovers." Neji replied.

---

Gaara entered his room, he gazed at the empty bed and a small frown settled onto his face. With a frown, he walked over to the window and leaned out to gaze up at the rooftop. A flash of yellow was all he needed, and he gripped the rooftop, swinging up and landing lightly beside Naruto.

The sun was slowly setting and was casting its rays in soft reds and orange across the dimming sky. The sea of sand seemed to glow in its natural beauty as the temperature slowly decreased, and a cool dry wind wafted through the air.

"Beautiful." Naruto murmured as Gaara turned his gaze from the scenic sight to his friend.

"I know." He replied in a subdued voice. He loved the Drylands better than Konoha. To him, the sand was much more welcoming than trees and water. "How are you feeling?"

"Alive." Naruto said, with a laugh as he leaned back and placed a hand on his bandaged torso. "How long was I out?"

"About two weeks." Gaara replied, watching the blonde calmly.

"And, what is the current situation?"

"They're announcing Orochimaru's heir today."

Naruto swung his head around, blue eyes wide in surprise. "Orochimaru has an heir?"

"Supposedly." Gaara replied with some resentment. "Now, get dressed. We have a press conference to attend."

"What?" Naruto blinked in confusion. Gaara leaned over to tug a lock of Naruto's golden hair. He needed a haircut.

"Orochimaru is the kind of person who wants everything to collapse with him. So how would you widen the bridge's gap?" He questioned. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment.

"Widen the bridge's gap?" Naruto murmured. Then, his eyes shot open in realization. "No. It can't be."

"That's right, Uzumaki. You're Orochimaru's heir."

---

Sasuke stormed into the conference room, his black hair fell into his eyes and he brushed it away. The collar of his white shirt was flipped up and the two buttons were opened to reveal fair skin. Clouded with thoughts, he failed to acknowledge the flashes of the cameras as he sat down in front of the press, to the right of the podium where Naruto will be speaking.

"Smile for the cameras." Shikamaru said, softly from behind him. Clad in expensive Armani suits, Shikamaru and Neji stood behind him with eyes warily scanning the room.

Instead of taking Shikamaru's advice, a prompt scowl crossed over his features as he glared down at the reporters. "This isn't good." Sasuke muttered. "Naruto shouldn't come."

"Why not?" Neji asked, curiously.

"Tomorrow, the headlines would be, "Doctor as heir to Shinja's legacy"." Sasuke replied. "Or, "Dr. Uzumaki's past family gang history."

"He's bringing everyone down with him." Shikamaru gasped in horror. "He planned this all in the beginning."

"I underestimated him." Sasuke cursed as the room quieted down. They watched as the doors swung open to emit Naruto.

His face was cautiously blank and devoid of emotion. Only his intense blue eyes held flashes of anger and despair.

Their eyes met and Naruto inclined his head in the barest of nods at him. He wore a black dress shirt, and white pants with polished black shoes. A silver chain with Itachi's ring strung on it, hung out of the unbuttoned collar.

To Sasuke, he looked indescribably sexy.

Gaara and what seemed like a few of Orochimaru's lawyers followed Naruto. Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat, as Naruto brushed against him as he ascended before the podium, hands resting lightly at his sides.

"Good evening." Naruto said, in the softest of voices. Through the microphone, his smooth voice echoed throughout the quiet room.

As if it was a signal to the reporters, they erupted into a frenzy of flashes and questions.

"Mr. Uzumaki, how do you feel about being Orochimaru's heir?"

"Sir, are you happy with your status?"

"Mr. Uzumaki, is it true you are the adopted son of Uchiha Kenji?"

"Mr. Uzumaki, how is this going to affect your career?"

"One at a time, please." Naruto said, eyes closing as a soft smile crossed his features. "I will answer every question truthfully. So, please don't rush."

"All right then. Mr Uzumaki, what was your relationship with the Shinja head?" A woman asked in the front of the crowd.

Naruto opened his eyes, its blue intensity startling most in the crowd. In an even voice he replied,

"He killed my family."

Sasuke paled slightly, how truthful was Naruto going to be? The audience erupted into soft murmurs and gasps. Others quickly scribbled down this information on their notepads. Thank goodness this wasn't going to be aired.

"Mr. Uzumaki, do you have any idea on why Orochimaru wanted you to be his heir?" A man called out.

"I have some ideas." Naruto replied.

"Do you wish to elaborate?"

There was a pause before Naruto met the man's gaze. "To widen the bridge's gap." He said.

"In other words, sir." The man said, shakily. "He wanted to bring down Ryuujin after he died?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, I won't let that happen." Naruto said, with a smile.

"But Shinja is Ryuujin's rival." The man continued with persistence.

"Well then, he should have chosen his heir more wisely." Naruto told them. "If the council wishes, I will gladly take over Orochimaru's position. But I will remain loyal to my foster father and Ryuujin."

"So, Uchiha Kenji did adopt you as his son?" Another man spoke up from the back of the room.

"Yes. I have never considered myself as part of Orochimaru's division and I never will." Naruto responded.

The crowd erupted into murmurs and whispers again.

"What are your first plans when you take over Orochimaru's corporations?" The woman asked in the front again. Naruto finally recognized her as Yamanaka Ino, Shikamaru's girlfriend. A soft smile crossed his lips and Ino smirked at him. So she had finally become a news reporter.

"I plan to make Shinja Co. into a larger and more advance corporation." Naruto declared, with an amused glint in his eyes. Ino nodded as the same glint came into her eyes.

"And how would you do that?" She asked, a bright grin on her face.

"By bringing up the question of a merger with my brother." Naruto said. Sasuke inhaled sharply, his eyes wide with surprise. Naruto turned to look at him and grinned.

Gaara smirked.

'Too bad, Orochimaru.' Sasuke thought as Neji and Shikamaru shot each other knowing grins. 'You can't turn Naruto against us. However hard you strike him down, he'll get up and strike you down harder.'

---

Unknowing to all of them, a woman slowly reached into her jacket and pulled out a cell phone. "Sir, Naruto has willingly agreed to become heir to your corporation." She said, quietly.

"Excellent." The familiar voice replied. "Excellent job, Kin." The woman seemed to swell in pride as a broad grin crossed her features. "It will be easier once we get Naruto into my hands and away from Sasuke."

"Yes, sir." Kin replied as she gazed at the blonde from the back of the room.

"Make sure, he comes to me. A car is waiting outside."

"As you say, sir." Kin smiled.

"I'll be waiting."

Kin slowly removed the phone from her ear and ended the call.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Kin said in delight. "What an interesting fellow."

---

A/N: Read and review! Any flourshing ideas on what will happen next? Perhaps some…rape…coughs


	10. Treacherous Grounds

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kist

**Rating:** R

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Naruto

A/N: I felt the need to write some angst and such. XD Enjoy. The rating has suddenly jumped to an R, because of my promised rape scene so if you don't want…turn back now!

Disclaimer: Narrator does not belong to me.

**_Chapter 10: Treacherous Grounds_**

Sasuke had fought through the crowd with Neil and Shikamaru. Now, they sat safely in a nearby coffee shop waiting for Naruto and Gaara. Only Gaara appeared, without Naruto. The man didn't look at all pleased when he walked in. He sat down and ordered a coffee, black.

"Where's Naruto?" Shikamaru asked as Gaara nodded to the waitress and downed his coffee in one gulp. They stared at him and he sat the ceramic mug back onto the table with a thunk.

"I lost him." Gaara said, evenly. "We got separated in the crowd. But he knows that we're meeting here."

Still, Sasuke had his doubts.

---

"Mr. Uzumaki." A car drove up to him and stopped. Naruto turned and stared at the woman who had gotten out of the car. Her black hair was tied up in a bun, and glasses perched upon a dainty nose. She stepped forward to bow respectfully.

"Yes?" He replied, cautiously.

"I am your secretary, Kin." She smiled, softly. "I've been obligated to invite you to tour the main company and your office."

"Actually, I'm meeting someone, Kin." Naruto said. "Perhaps another time?"

"Are you speaking of your friend? Gaara?" Kin asked. "I have already informed him of this and he agreed to meet us there."

"All right." Naruto blinked before stepping into the car. Kin followed him in and closed the door behind him.

"Mr. Uzumaki, as Orochimaru's heir you inherit everything." Kin spoke up as the car moved back into traffic.

"Everything?" Naruto repeated, eyes wide with surprise.

"Everything." Kin repeated, firmly. "You also inherit Orochimaru's Estate. If you would like so, we can head there instead of going to the company headquarters right away."

"Actually Kin." Naruto smiled, lightly. "I want to go to my old home."

"Uzumaki Manor, then?" Kin asked, her eyes softening a little. She tapped the driver on the shoulder and the driver nodded, his eyes flickering to mirror before back onto the road.

---

Soon, they turned into an old road and Naruto's eyes widened as the ocean came into view. He rolled down the window and peered at the building that was located on top of a cliff. "Your grandmother loved the ocean so your grandfather had the manor built for her." Kin said, quietly. Naruto nodded as the house began to grow larger as it came into view. When the car finally stopped in front of it, he got out and looked up.

It was enormous. Roses of the brightest red grew on either side of the five-story mansion. It was still in beautiful condition.

"How do you know so much about my family?" Naruto asked her. Kin smiled, and looked down shyly.

"Curiosity." She replied. "Also, it is good for me to know since I am your secretary." She nodded toward the house. "Shall we?" Naruto nodded and followed her as they stepped up the three large steps and rung the doorbell. "The housekeeper here is named Mari, and you can ask her about your family history if you so desired."

As if on cue, the door opened with a creak and they found themselves staring an elderly Japanese woman. "Hello, how may I help--?" She trailed off when her eyes landed on Naruto and they widened. A look of sadness and happiness crossed her face before quickly disappearing.

"Is that you, young master?" She gasped. "Come in, let me take a look at you." She stood aside as they walked in and Naruto smiled softly as Mari took his face in her wrinkled hands. "Just like a double of your father. A strong and wonderful man."

"You knew my father?" Naruto blinked.

"Of course, I was your father's housekeeper and I was out of town when that…happened." Mari shook her head sadly and Kin's gaze grew sharp.

"Darling, why don't you get us some refreshments?" Kin stated, gripping her arm and giving her a knowing look.

"Ah." Mari's gaze fell. "Of course, ma'am. I'll be right back."

"Shouldn't we help her?" Naruto frowned as he started after the woman. Kin drew him back with a laugh.

"Let's look around, Mr. Uzumaki. This is your home after all." She told him. Then her cell phone rang. "Excuse me, sir. I'll be right back."

Naruto gave her a nod, before disappearing around the corner of the hallway.

---

"Hello, this is Kin." She stated when she made sure no one was around.

"It's me."

"Oh, hello sir." She smiled.

"You did good, Kin. You can leave now, make sure Naruto does not have a way out of the house."

"Understood, sir." Kin nodded. There was a click on the other line that signaled the ending of the call and she abruptly turned and walked down the hallway. She paused when she saw Mari heading toward her, in her hand was a glass of lemonade. "You understand your orders?"

"Yes, ma'am." The woman said, shakily.

"Good, we don't want anything to happen to your husband now, do we?" Kin said lightly. Then, she continued down the hall as Mari walked farther down the hallway to where Naruto was.

---

Naruto didn't feel very comfortable in the house. He felt like he was being watched at every movement he made. So, he stepped cautiously through the mansion. The sun shone brightly and the drapes were pulled back at every window so the warm light filled the house. But, nothing could chase away the chill in the air. It was foreboding and dark.

"Where did everyone die?" He murmured, softly as he looked around.

"They didn't die here. This was the Uzumaki's summer house."

He jumped and turned around with a nervous laugh when he saw it was only Mari. Wordlessly, she handed him a glass of lemonade and he accepted it with a thanks.

So they didn't die here, eh? Naruto thought as he drained the glass before handing it back to the housekeeper. Mari smiled softly as he frowned in confusion.

"Where is Kin?" He asked.

"She went to use the restroom, dear." Mari told him. "I have to prepare dinner so feel free to wander around." With that she left without a second word.

Naruto frowned before continuing down the hall, only to make it halfway before leaning heavily against the wall. The bright light that was coming in through the windows was making his eyes hurt. With a labored breath, he grunted as he stood upright and felt his muscles slackening against his will.

The last thing he saw was the floor rising toward him at great speed.

---

Gaara was uneasy, as all the others were. They were currently sitting in Sasuke's mansion, staring every so second at the clock and to the phone. Neji sighed softly before hanging up the phone he was holding to his ear.

"Still no answer." Neji told them. It was probably the hundredth time they had tried calling Naruto's cell phone but every time, they had received his voice mail.

"Do you think something had happened?" Shikamaru said, cautiously and abruptly shut his mouth when an angry Sasuke shot him a thunderous glare. "Just a thought." He mumbled.

"Are you sure he knew where to meet us?" Sasuke demanded, glaring at Gaara.

"Yes." Gaara replied before finally getting onto his feet. "I'll go look for him."

"I'll come with you." Shikamaru said, getting antsy from staying in the quiet house for so long.

"We'll wait to see if Naruto calls us back." Neji nodded. Sasuke could only close his eyes and lean back.

There was something very wrong about this situation.

---

Naruto woke up with a killer headache. Through a daze, he looked around at unfamiliar surroundings before realizing the position he was in. Yes, he was on silk dark purple sheets and his arms and legs were bound to the posts of the bed.

"What the--." Naruto hissed before jerking his hand roughly. This only knocked the breath out of him and he lay, stunned.

"So glad that you finally woke up." A voice spoke from the darkness.

"Who are you?" Naruto demanded, angrily. "Untie me, now!"

"Now, now, darling Kyuubi." The voice chided. "Don't be so hasty." The shadow moved to his bedside before a match was ignited and the small flame slowly lit the oil lamp beside the bed.

The matchstick went up and a face flashed for a second before it disappeared when the matchstick was blown out.

"You!" Naruto gasped in horror. "I-It can't be!"

The bed shifted a little, as the figure sat down, still concealed in the darkness. A hand slowly crept over his leg and caressed his inner thigh. "What can't be, Naruto?" The figure crooned.

"You're…You're dead." Naruto whispered. The figure leaned forward so he came into the light.

Dark locks of hair surrounded a pale face as the man planted a kiss on his neck, smiling as the Naruto's pulse raced against his lips. "On the contrary. The one who died was one of my many look-alikes. You can't be too careful when you have people after your head." He said. "Now…"

A glass of red liquid was lifted to pale lips, before Naruto felt those lips on his. He nearly gagged as the red wine sloshed into his mouth and as the man's hands roamed down his body in the most violating way. Fingers pinched his nose shut, forcing him to swallow the wine.

"What a good boy." The man whispered as he grinded his hips against his. Naruto gasped out and jerked his body.

"Orochimaru!" He hissed. "You won't get away with this!"

"Is that so?" Hands ripped his shirt into shreds and pulled his pants down to his ankles. Naruto twitched as he felt the cool air of the room touch his body. "Let me enlighten you." He sat up and began to disrobe. The cotton material was tossed on the floor and Naruto breathed in sharply as skin came in contact with skin.

"You are now my fuck toy." Orochimaru said as Naruto began to grow uncomfortably hot. "Obey my every whim and listen silently to what I say."

"Or what?" Naruto gasped, as the world spun. His breath was coming out in shallow pants and his eyes widened. He had been drugged.

That wine had been laced with something foreign.

His body yearned for that man's vile touch. Orochimaru smiled knowingly and brushed his fingertips down his chest. The coolness of his fingers was momentarily reliving for his heated flesh.

"Or, I will kill everyone to love. You underestimated me, Naruto." Orochimaru smiled. "So distance yourself away from Sasuke. You can have my company and you can merge it with Sasuke's. You can make Sasuke, the top of all the gang leaders in Konoha. But, you will belong to me."

"What?" Naruto choked as Orochimaru stroke his length, coaxingly.

"I'm warning you, if you know what's best. Don't associate yourself with your so-called 'friends' anymore." Orochimaru smiled. "You're a Shinja and you'll always be."

Naruto bit down on his tongue. Hard.

The salty, coopery flavor of his blood filled his mouth and he swallowed bitterly before feeling the body of the man pin him down. Naruto bit back a scream, his fingers closing and biting into his palms. An explosion of pain rocketed from his lower back and shot upwards.

"Are you a virgin?" Orochimaru whispered. "Are you saving yourself for your beloved Sasuke?"

Naruto refused to answer as his vision swam with the pain he was experiencing. He turned his head, staring at the flame of the single candle on the bedside table. His eyes closed to will himself away from his traitorous body and the drugs that started to cloud his mind with lust and desire.

He felt himself giving in.

Everything blanked out…

As he sold himself to the devil.

---

Shikamaru had called back later that night and had told them that he was giving up searching and going home. Gaara had disappeared a few ways back and Shikamaru didn't really want to look for him. It was too troublesome.

So Neji also went to bed in one of the many spare guest rooms in Sasuke's house and Sasuke stayed up. Eyes, slightly bloodshot, stared blankly at random cartoon reruns on TV. None of them seemed to lighten his mood.

Tiredly, his eyes roamed through the den and rested on his phone. His fingers itched to file a report on a missing person.

Just then, he heard the sound of the door opening and he slipped his feet into slippers before walking over the wooden floors to the front of the house.

The clock chimed as it struck 2.

Naruto stood, leaning against the doorframe.

"Naruto." Sasuke spoke up. "Where have you been?"

Then, the blonde looked up. It wasn't the bright blue had always been, but a dull lifeless shine. This look that Sasuke had saw when Naruto was brought into the house for the very first time. His shirt clearly wasn't his and his pants were wrinkled.

Naruto moved, shifting his feet and wincing. Sasuke moved forward to help him but Naruto held up his hand.

"I'm fine. Go to bed." His tone wasn't angry or ordering. It was just a blank command and Sasuke felt himself hesitating.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said, softly.

"I'm tired, let's wait until the sun rises." Naruto said, with a half-grin. Sasuke nodded before shutting the door and pausing at his side for a moment.

"I want your answer then." He said, firmly. Naruto nodded and Sasuke walked up the stairs. "Good night."

"…Night." Naruto replied before moving with extreme slowness and falling face first onto the couch.

Orochimaru had fucked him dry. He had nothing left and most likely he wouldn't be able to sit for days.

He lifted his head up to look at his hands. His fingernails had dug into his palms hard enough to draw blood and it crusted in his fingernails as a harsh reminder. The skin of his wrists was rubbed raw from the bonds that had restricted him.

Then he sat up, biting his lip as pain ripped through his bottom and he felt the skin tear and bleed again.

Luckily, Sasuke had rooms on the bottom floor as well as the top floor. Stepping into the bathroom, he closed the door and locked it.

He turned the water on at full blast, and steam began to rose into the air. Stepping in, he hissed sharply as the hot water scalded his skin.

He never felt so violated in his entire life.

He drew his hand up and placed it over his mouth, muffling the scream that tore from his throat. In anguish, hot tears cascaded down his face and mixed with the water.

Naruto had never felt so helpless in his entire life.

And worst of all…he couldn't ask Sasuke for help.

---

A/N: How was THAT? XD

I took out the lemony scene..ahahaa…;


	11. Treading Softly

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** R

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Naruto

A/N: In this fic Naruto is 20-something and Orochimaru is 30-something so you pedophiles out there don't get your hopes up! XD I found a great fascination of the OroNaru pair and decided to write a part 2! So…get ready all you readers, my dirty mind is at work!

**_Chapter 11: Treading Softly_**

Sasuke's eyes shot open and he got out of bed, his feet touched the bare floor and soft shivers ran down his back. Grabbing a robe, he quickly put it on and strode across the hallway to Naruto's old room.

With a soft knock, he turned the doorknob and pushed the door in. With a frown, he stared at the untouched bed in dismay. Where had he stayed last night? As he turned to walk back to his room, he paused and stared at Itachi's room.

With hesitant steps, he walked towards it, his breath stopping short as he slowly reached out to grasp the doorknob.

"What are you doing?"

He tensed up and looked over his shoulder at where Neji was surveying him with interest.

"I'm looking for Naruto." Sasuke told him as he turned around.

"Did he come home last night?" Neji asked.

"Yes, around 2." Sasuke replied.

"I didn't see him. I was up before dawn." Neji frowned. He had just taken a shower after a brisk jog and his hair fell in damp tangles down his bared back.

"May be he took one of the rooms downstairs." Sasuke commented as he quickly strode down the stairs. He paused, seeing a note taped on the door and tore it off in anticipation.

---

Sasuke- 

_Had something to do. We'll talk later._

_-Naruto._

_---_

Storming angrily over to the telephone, Sasuke punched in Naruto's cell number with such force, Neji was afraid the keypad would break.

"Is everything all right?" Neji asked, cautiously from the banister. Sasuke was furious and at the second ring, someone picked up.

"Hello? This is Kin speaking."

"Kin?" Sasuke froze and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Put Naruto on the phone."

"I'm sorry, sir." The woman replied. "Mr. Uzumaki has a meeting right now and he can't be bothered."

"W-What?" Sasuke yelled, angrily. "What kind of meeting?"

"A business meeting, sir. Can I leave a message?" The woman asked, before being cut off as Sasuke slammed the phone back in its cradle.

"Naruto has already taken over Shinja Co." Sasuke gasped as Neji continued down the stairs.

"Uhm, sir." Sasuke whipped around to one of his frightened maids and his eyes softened.

"Sorry." He sighed. "Yes?"

"I found Master Naruto's clothes in the back of his closest and I was wondering if I should dispose of it?" The maid questioned.

"Why would you want to throw them away?" Sasuke frowned. The maid held up the clothes for him to see and Sasuke froze.

Blood stains.

Neji ran over and grabbed Naruto's pants. Staring at them in horror.

"Y-You don't think?" Neji trailed off as they stared at the pants.

"Naruto." Sasuke whispered, feeling sick. "Who did this to you?"

---

It was late when Naruto got back to his apartment, he tiredly threw his keys on his desk before falling stomach first into his mattress. Not even bothering to undress from his suit and tie.

Fingertips grazed his back and he jumped, falling off the bed and scrambling onto his feet.

His eyes went wide with horror as he realized the man was in his way of the door.

"H-How did you get in?" He gasped, finally as Orochimaru smiled. The taller man slowly walked closer and Naruto backed up until his back hit the wall. He winced at the sudden pain that shot up from his sore bottom.

"Oops. I think I overdid it the other night." Orochimaru chuckled while running his hand over his cheek and tracing the whisker-like marks. Naruto flinched at his touch, shaking horribly. "What's wrong, Naruto? You're shaking."

Orochimaru slowly undid Naruto's tie and tied it around Naruto's eyes.

Then, he slowly unbuttoned Naruto's shirt, planting a kiss down every spot of skin as it was revealed.

"S-Stop." Naruto whimpered as Orochimaru's hands began undoing his belt.

"You enjoyed it last night," Orochimaru whispered, breathing against his ear. "Scream my name, Naruto." His hands went around to cup his buttocks and Naruto let out a scream.

Pain chorused throughout his body and his knees buckled, so he fell against Orochimaru. Sweat freckled his brow and trickled down his neck.

"N-No. Don't." Naruto gasped as Orochimaru ran his free hand through his damp blonde locks.

"Scream for me, Naru." Orochimaru smiled, sinisterly.

---

"Where is he?" Sasuke yelled, angrily stomping on his rug. His eyes flickered around at the priceless objects that decorated every corner of the house. Damn he needed to throw something.

Neji watched him coolly and Shikamaru sat next to him, eyes closed as if he was napping. But they knew he was well aware of what was going on around him.

"Maybe he went back to his apartment." Shikamaru said, cracking an eye open.

"His apartment?" Neji and Sasuke turned toward him in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Well, where has he been living since now?" Shikamaru retorted. Neji and Sasuke exchanged glances.

"Let's go." Sasuke ordered, quickly grabbing his keys. "Show us where his apartment is."

Shikamaru shrugged and got up, stretching before Neji grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and literally dragged him out the door.

In no time, Sasuke's car skidded to a stop in front of a white building. He quickly turned off the engine and the three of them raced up the stairs to Naruto's apartment.

"He lives here." Shikamaru gestured before Sasuke shoved him roughly out of the way.

"Naruto!" He yelled. "Naruto!" He pounded on the door, and it shook from the force.

There was no answer.

"Maybe he's not home?" Neji murmured, eyes showing how clearly worried he was.

"Che. You want me to pick the lock?" Shikamaru asked.

There was a click as the door was unlocked and it slowly drew open. Naruto stood in the doorway, looking pale and exhausted. The knuckles on the hand that gripped the doorframe were white.

"What do you want?" He asked in a hollow voice. They stared at him, and at his dull blue gaze.

"Oy. Oy. Is that how you greet your friends?" Shikamaru drawled as Neji quickly pushed Shikamaru away.

"Naruto, what happened?" Neji demanded, quickly walking toward him. Fear flashed across Naruto's eyes and he quickly stepped back to close the door on them. But Neji was much quicker. The door slammed open and Naruto stood staring at them.

There was something that wasn't right. The air smelled strange.

Shikamaru's eyes widened and he turned to Naruto. "It smells like blood."

"Get out." Naruto said, icily. He lunged forward at Neji, hands targeting his neck. Neji quickly avoided him and darted to the side.

"Naruto?" Sasuke whispered as Naruto's eyes glazed over. "Naruto!" The blonde fell forward and Sasuke caught him before he hit the ground, unconscious. They stared as the hallway light washed over his body. There was a stain on the seat of his pants that trailed down behind his legs to his ankles.

Shikamaru fumbled for the light switch and they gazed in horror at the trail of blood that led to Naruto's bedroom.

Neji ran into the room and stared at the spot where the blood was concentrated.

"We were right." Neji said, hoarsely. Shikamaru ducked his head in and gasped. "Someone did this to Naruto."

"Someone?" Shikamaru asked. "Who?"

"We have to get him to the hospital!" Sasuke's frantic voice broke into their reverie. They quickly snapped into action, Neji hoisted the blonde over his shoulder and they ran down the stairs.

Shikamaru shook his head in disbelief and closed the door behind them with shaking hands.

---

Sasuke's mother had been half-Japanese with long dark hair and beautiful dark eyes. It was a known fact that Itachi and he took after her in looks. They had been very close to her and when she past away from cancer, their father chose to stay home more often. They were uncomfortable around each other, especially since Uchiha Kenji was never much of a father.

Itachi and he were cold to him, which was a personality trait they had gotten from him. Their mother had been the only one in the family capable of bringing them to the dinner table together. With her bright smiles and warm laughter, they were a happy family.

But when she past away, Sasuke became silent and brooding. Itachi started to hate their father and Kenji buried himself into work.

Then, Naruto had come into their lives and slowly melted the ice away from their hearts.

---

It was one of those rainy nights and Sasuke sat in the parlor, staring at the TV with an expressionless face. He had refused to go to bed, unless Itachi came home. So around eleven-thirty, there was a knock at the door and the housekeeper went to open it.

"Sir, welcome home." The woman said, warmly. "Oh, who's this?"

"Come in." Sasuke had heard Itachi said softly. Curiosity got the best of him and he turned off the TV. Then he got up from the couch and walked over to the open door. Itachi was drenched and the water continued to beat down relentlessly on his head. But, he had not stepped inside. A maid rushed toward them with an armload of towels and offered one to Itachi who smiled in thanks but didn't make a move to come in.

"Aniki." Sasuke said. "Did you find him?" Itachi met his eyes with a slight smile and a small figure draped in Itachi's hooded jacket appeared in the doorway. Sasuke stepped back as Itachi pushed the figure in and stepped inside. Water dripped off their bodies and pooled onto the floor.

"Oh my," The housekeeper took the towels from the maid and sent her to grab a mop.

"Sorry about this, Marie." Itachi laughed. He walked over to the boy and slowly pulled the hood down from the concealed face. A head full of bright golden hair and expressionless blue eyes met Sasuke's dark gaze.

"Is he the boy, sir?" Marie asked, with a soft whisper. At Itachi's nod, Marie's eyes widened. "He's an angel!"

"Who are you?" Sasuke demanded, crossing his arms. Itachi looked at him in amusement.

"This is my younger brother, Sasuke." Itachi introduced as he placed a hand on his shoulder. The angel's blue eyes flickered upwards from the floor and Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Introduce yourself to him."

"Naruto." He said, his eyes dull and expressionless.

---

It took Naruto a long time to regain the bright sparkle in his eyes. But all three of them found the need to make the boy smile again, especially when Kenji found out about the massacre of the Uzumaki. They all agreed to keep it a secret from the boy until later in the future.

But gradually, Naruto became a quiet and happy child. He was never noisy and he was timid and shy. Sasuke would drag him all over the place and together they would do crazy things like, jump off a tree in attempt to learn to fly. Normal things like that.

Once the family had gone for a picnic in the park. Their father was snoozing underneath a tree while Itachi spread out a blanket for their picnic. "Where's Naruto?" Itachi had asked. Sasuke glanced around and his eyes widened.

"Ah…I'll get him." Sasuke said, quickly dashing off. He was very worried that he had lost his younger brother.

"Give me your money!"

Sasuke turned the corner and stared, his eyes narrowing at the kid that had cornered Naruto. The boy simply stared up at him, unmoving with an expressionless face. The kid was shaking his fist and Naruto sported a bloody lip. Sasuke scowled and stomped toward him when a smooth voice cut through the bully's threats.

"Get away from him."

Sasuke turned and behold, there stood Hyuuga Neji—prodigy and Sasuke's rival, his cousin. No blood relation of course. Hyuuga Hinata, peeked out from behind the boy and waved, shyly.

"Sasuke-niichan." Hinata whispered. "He was picking on the boy and I went to get Neji." Sasuke frowned and stomped toward Neji.

"We don't need your help." He growled. Neji, who was one year older than him and thought he was already an adult—arched an eyebrow in a very adult-like way.

"We?" He repeated.

"Me and Naruto." Sasuke explained as he stared at his dense cousin. "Get away from Naruto before I clock you one." He threatened. The bully took off when he stared at the two boys and Sasuke rushed over to Naruto. "Are you all right? That's a nasty cut."

"I'm fine." Naruto replied, quietly. Hinata popped up from next to him and dabbed at Naruto's lip with a handkerchief. "Itai."

"Sasuke! Naruto!"

They turned to watch Itachi walk up to them. Immediately, he crouched down next to Naruto. "What happened?" He asked, as Hinata shyly gave him her napkin. "Did someone pick on you?"

Naruto shook his head and Itachi frowned.

"What happened?" He asked, looking at Sasuke.

"Well I-." Sasuke began.

"I fell." Naruto whispered. They all turned to look at him.

"You fell?" Itachi repeated, suspiciously eyeing the three.

"I fell." He nodded, looking away. "Don't be mad at them."

---

It was always like that, Naruto refused to let anyone stick up for him. And when they did, he would withdraw farther into himself. Because Naruto was the kind of person that wanted to look out for others and not have others look after him.

Many times, Naruto would take the blame for something Sasuke had did.

Many times, Sasuke would yell at him.

Many times, Naruto would just smile.

"I can't believe it! Naruto, you got them to give you detention!" Sasuke yelled. "It was my fault!"

Naruto giggled softly, before hugging his book closer to his chest. "That food fight that you started was funny." Naruto commented. "But, detention isn't that bad. It's a quiet place where I can read."

Sasuke growled before stomping over to Naruto and jerking his arm, the blonde gave a gasp of surprise before he landed against Sasuke's chest.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because, you're special to me." Naruto laughed, softly as he gazed up at him with adoring blue eyes. Then, he leaned upwards and licked the top of his ear. Sasuke stiffened and Naruto pulled away from him. "Sorry, you still had some whip cream there."

Sasuke smirked and grabbed Naruto by the arm again, kissing him softly on the lips.

They broke away, flushed.

---

"Naruto." Sasuke's slender fingers ran through the blonde's golden locks. "Naruto, who did this to you?"

"Excuse me." The three of them looked up and stared at the two people who had entered the room. Hinata smiled, softly at them and her eyes flickered to Naruto who was lying on the bed. The woman who had spoken was beautiful.

Her golden hair was tied up in a bun and her brown eyes peered at them from over wire-rimmed glasses.

"There is some information that Dr. Tsunade must inform a family member of Naruto's." Hinata said, quietly.

Even though the woman looked very calm and composed, she had been frantic when they had brought Naruto in. After all, Naruto was her supervision as a residential doctor and she had come to favor her charge.

Sasuke stood up.

"I'm his brother." He said.

"Mr. Uzumaki?" Dr. Tsunade inquired, politely.

"Just call me Sasuke." Sasuke replied, quickly. He really didn't want to get into Naruto's adoption and the messy situation of his family name right now. Dr. Tsunade's eyes flashed knowingly before she walked over to the door.

"Let's talk outside." She said. Sasuke obediently followed her, aware of Neji and Shikamaru's questioning stares. They walked out into the quiet hallway and the door clicked shut behind them. "I'm not sure if you know about Naruto's situation."

"Was he…" He broke off abruptly as his voice cracked. He coughed and tried again. "Was he…raped?"

The doctor's eyes studied his for a moment before closing her eyes with a sigh. "Yes."

"Do you know who did it?" Sasuke demanded.

"He was torn up pretty badly. I'll have to say, that he was raped yesterday and it happened again." Tsunade said, quietly. "I didn't want to probe him for any sign of semen. But it will take him awhile to heal."

"Who could do such a thing?" Sasuke hissed, eyebrows drawing together. "Who could be sick enough to-." He paled and slumped against the wall, dark eyes staring helplessly at the tiled floor. "I could have helped him, if only I stayed by his side! Nothing would have--." His voice cracked again and he promptly shut his mouth.

"He might have suffered some psychological shock. When he wakes up, he might have to see a therapist." Tsunade told him.

"I'll take care of him." Sasuke declared. "I've always had."

"I hope you can." Tsunade shook her head. "He has his whole life ahead of him. I hope this doesn't affect his goals."

"Thank you, doctor." Sasuke murmured, before walking back into the room.

---

Hinata was checking on Naruto's vital signs when he entered. Neji and Shikamaru gave him suspicious looks.

"Yes." Sasuke whispered.

"Yes what?" Shikamaru snapped, a little irritated from Sasuke's lack of response.

"He was raped."

The two seem to explode, one off the wall and one out of his chair. "WHO?" They demanded, angrily.

"Calm down." Hinata warned, gazing anxiously at the person who was on the bed.

"I'll skin them alive." Neji hissed, silver eyes narrowing.

"Not if I get to them first." Shikamaru frowned. This was too troublesome for his liking.

"Shh!" Hinata shushed them as Naruto stirred on the bed. His blue eyes shot open and his face contorted into a pain of agony.

"Naruto!" Sasuke ran over to grab his hand. "Naruto!"

"Who…?" Naruto asked, gripping onto his hand tightly. "Sasuke?"

Then, as everything dawned onto him, a look of fear crossed his face before his blue eyes turned back into a dull blue. With sudden strength, he pushed Sasuke away and sat up. Hissing as hot white pain shot up his back.

"Naruto, you have to rest! Your condition-." Hinata cried, running toward him.

Naruto tried to get up but fell off the bed. He slapped Hinata's hands away when she tried to help him.

"Why are you all here?" He asked, in soft voice. "Get away from me! All of you!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Shikamaru yelled.

"I don't need any of you! Get away!" He screamed. "Get out!"

"Naruto, calm down-." Neji interrupted, holding onto Hinata who was a bit shaken.

"Shut up!" Naruto screamed. "Get out!"

"What's wrong?" Sasuke yelled, gripping onto the hysterical man. "Tell me, Naruto!"

"Don't touch me!" Naruto screamed, flinging his arms away. "I'm dirty! Don't touch me!" Sasuke froze as bitter tears fell down Naruto's face. "He'll kill all of you!"

"Who, Naruto?" Neji asked, softly as Naruto's screaming fit dissolved into heart wrenching sobs.

"I'm his toy." Naruto babbled. "I have to be good. I'm good." Sasuke reached out shakily to touch Naruto's shoulder. Naruto flinched and Sasuke shook his shoulder.

"Look at me, Naruto." He ordered, his voice firm and commanding. Naruto shook his head and continued sobbing. "Look at me!" Hesitantly, Naruto looked up and stared in shock as Sasuke's face. Tears seemed to flow down his pale skin in unison with those on Naruto's face.

"Don't cry, Sasuke." Naruto whispered. "I'll protect you, you have to be protected."

"Naruto." Sasuke shook his shoulder again. "You don't have to protect me anymore." He wrapped his arms around Naruto's torso and pulled him toward him. His tears, as bitter as the ones that fell from Naruto's eyes, dampened the bruised skin of Naruto's neck. "I won't let anyone take you away from me. I won't let anyone hurt you again."

"Sasuke, you can't." Naruto hiccupped. "You can't fight him, he's too strong."

"I can't believe you let him do this to you." Sasuke whispered. "Was it for me?" Naruto silence was taken as a yes and Sasuke held him tighter. "What were you thinking?"

"I love you." Naruto cried, burying his face into Sasuke's shirt. "I love you so much, I couldn't let him hurt you. Any of you!"

Sasuke froze.

The man had controlled Naruto by threatening not only him, but also all of them.

That meant…that someone must be familiar with Naruto's past.

But ghosts don't make threats, do they?

So this man wasn't dead yet.

His blood froze in his veins.

"Naruto." He said, in a quiet voice. Naruto tightened the grip on his shirt. "It was Orochimaru, wasn't it?"

---

TBC!

GASP! What will happen next? XD

watermelon gal: XD Yes, I had to torture poor naruto. im sorry! but i was unable to resist!

dream fox: of course naruto will get comfort from sasuke! bwahaha!

rim: lol i will have more interaction between sasunaru soon! seme and uke? i dunno, in my fics it always goes back and forth from narusasu and sasunaru. but i like sasunaru more! XD

miz: what will naruto do? bwahaha.

candalf: lol! nuuuu! don't hate me! XD thanks for r/r!

shiomi: maybe orochimaru WILL die in the end. coughs

LQ: lol yes yes! i don't proofread after i type my fics up, maybe i should make it more of a habit! and yes! we do need some sasunaru!

Ookami Kage: thanks for reading! but orochimaru is so cool! (because he IS and evil bastard! XD and he have wonderful hair...second to itachi of course! )

To everyone else who I have humbly neglected to respond to: thanks for reviewing! i love you all! and Naruto will kick a$$ soon...I think. =D

Important note: took out lemon scene…


	12. Words of Wisdom

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** R…even though it's PG or something**.**

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, some GaaNaru

A/N: Yay! Another chappie! I must make it a habit to reread my chappies before posting them up. Because I found a lot of mistakes in my other chappies…they will be corrected and reposted! XD AND also…since this OroNaru pairing is hideous and has scarred everyone's "innocent" minds…no more of that! Strictly SasuNaru and maybe some more…if I feel like writing a twist into the story. ;D

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**_Chapter 12: Words of Wisdom_**

_"You see Naruto…"_

_The boy with golden hair and bright blue eyes looked up at the sound of the voice. He was currently standing in front of a large desk with the wood polished so it shone a dark mahogany brown._

_"Sasuke must be protected."_

_"Sasuke?" The boy repeated at the thought of his foster brother._

_"Because, he was my wife's favorite." Kenji told him with a sigh. "That is why, nothing must happen to him."_

_"I see." The boy nodded, staring down at the floor. _

_"And if something happens to Itachi, god forbid…he would be the last Uchiha to assume position as the head of Ryuujin." Kenji said. "You understand, don't you Naruto?"_

_"Yes." Naruto bowed. His bright blue eyes met the calm gaze of the Ryuujin leader and he smiled. "I will work hard to repay you for your kindness in taking me in. I will make sure Ryuujin does not fall to the wrong hands." Kenji got up and walked around the desk. Stopping in front of Naruto, he placed a hand on his head._

_"I chose you because you're special, Naruto." Kenji smiled. "I trust your loyalty."_

---

"I have a mission to fulfill." Naruto whispered, staring down at his hands. "I have to protect Sasuke. I can't let the same thing that happened to Itachi…happen to him."

"Get over it."

Naruto's head shot up, the color drained from his face as he stared at the person at the foot of his bed. Jade green eyes stared at him in speculation and Naruto trembled. He hadn't even heard anyone come in. "Don't look at me." He hissed, narrowing his eyes as he sharply turned his head away.

Gaara's lips thinned out into a white line and he crossed his arms.

"Uchiha Kenji is dead. You don't owe him anything." He said, dryly.

"I owe him!" Naruto snapped, refusing to look up. "I have my orders!"

"Dead men don't give orders." Gaara replied, calmly.

"Don't talk about him like that!" Naruto yelled. He got up swiftly, wincing slightly. "H-He was a great man! He was just like a father to me!"

"If he was like a father, would he like to see his son, suffer?" Gaara asked. The man strode forward swiftly and grabbed his arm. Naruto flinched and flung his hand off.

"Don't touch me!" Naruto stammered.

"What's wrong?" Gaara glared at him. His cold gaze raked him from head to toe. "Why are you here in the first place?"

"I can't leave." Naruto whispered. "They won't let me."

"Why?" Gaara asked.

"Therapy." Naruto murmured.

"For what?"

"…Nothing."

Gaara grabbed his arms and shook him, hard. Naruto swore he heard his brain rattling in his skull. "Answer me, Uzumaki." He stated, dangerously. "You don't need therapy. What happened?"

"Don't touch me!" Naruto yelled, wrenching away. "Get out!"

Gaara narrowed his eyes and pushed him hard so Naruto fell into his bed. Gaara hovered over him with a dangerous glint in his eyes as he slammed his hand down at his side, so Naruto couldn't escape. "Naruto, tell me."

"I-I…" Naruto stuttered, his eyes darting around wildly for a way to escape.

The pressure was suddenly too much and he felt the walls of the room closing in. So he did the only thing he could do…

He screamed.

Startled, Gaara stood back quickly and Sasuke burst into the room. Apparently, Sasuke had gone to get some take out ramen for Naruto and had arrived conveniently to hear Naruto scream.

"What did you do to him?" He yelled, quickly depositing his bag on the table. Gaara just shook his head wordlessly as Sasuke rushed over to Naruto. Gathering him into his arms. "Naruto it's okay. I'm here."

"I'm a good boy." Naruto whimpered. "I am."

"Of course." Sasuke soothed. "It's just Gaara, your panda-eyed friend. Gaara won't hurt you."

"What happened to him?" Gaara asked, voice void of emotion.

Sasuke tensed and tightened his arms around Naruto. "Rape."

The temperature of the room seemed to drop several degrees and Naruto trembled in Sasuke's arms.

"What?" Gaara asked, incredously. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Sasuke snapped, angrily. Naruto trembled again and Sasuke rubbed his back soothingly. "Don't make me repeat it."

"Who was it?" Gaara asked. A killing intent so strong seemed to roll off the man in smothering waves. Sasuke lowered his gaze to the top of Naruto's head and contemplated on whether to tell him or not. Gaara moved over to him, soundlessly and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Tell me."

"It's not important." Naruto broke in, shivering every few seconds. He tightened his arms around Sasuke's torso and buried his face into his shirt.

That seemed to be the last button for Gaara. The man with crimson red hair whipped around and pushed Sasuke away. The Ryuujin gang leader fell back and Gaara quickly grabbed onto Naruto, easily lifting him and slamming him against the wall.

Naruto winced as the air was knocked out of his lungs and he took a moment to recover.

"I don't understand you, Uzumaki." Gaara said, angrily. "Ever since I've known you, you've always placed everyone before yourself."

"Let go of him!" Sasuke yelled as he launched forward. But Gaara quickly grabbed a hold of his arm and twisted it so Sasuke buckled to his knees.

"Gaara! Don't hurt him!" Naruto gasped, frantically.

I've always lived for myself." Gaara continued, ignoring the pained Sasuke. "I learned to love myself and only myself. But you, Uzumaki! You refuse to love yourself!"

"I-I'm not worthy." Naruto whispered as Gaara slammed him against the wall again.

"Let. Him. Go. Gaara." Sasuke said, glaring up at him from beneath his bangs.

"I'm going to knock some sense into you." Gaara glared as he slammed him against the wall again. "Answer to my call, _Kyuubi_."

Naruto's eyes grew wide and he grunted as Gaara slammed his back into the wall once again.

"What the hell?"

Sasuke turned slightly to stare at the two people who had just come into the room. Shikamaru stood shock still at the scene before him with Neji coming in behind him. Shikamaru rushed forward to help them but Neji caught him by the arm and pulled him back. "Neji, what the hell are you doing?"

Neji just shook his head.

---

Puzzled, Sasuke turned his face back around and looked up. Eyes wide with surprise, he watched as Naruto's arms slowly lifted up and grabbed a hold of Gaara's shirt. His fingers were curled, white knuckles straining against the cotton fabric. Slowly, Gaara's hand released Sasuke's arm and his other hand reached up to grab a fistful of Naruto's hospital gown. He growled.

To their surprise, Naruto growled back.

"Do you think you're strong enough, Uzumaki?" Gaara whispered, leaning forward to brush his lips against Naruto's ear. "To what that son of a bitch did to you, you have to screw him five times over."

"Shukaku." Naruto rasped, eyes bright with bloodlust.

"Embrace your roots, Uzumaki." Gaara smirked, as he leaned forward to plant a kiss on Naruto's forehead. "Because it is what you are, what you've always been. You were born as the Kyuubi."

Sasuke shot to his feet, one hand on his sore arm and bristled. "Gaara…" He warned.

"And Naru-chan…" Gaara smirked, forehead resting against Naruto's. "Do you remember his words?"

The room became deathly silent. All could be heard was the labored breathing as Naruto's chest heaved up and down. His blue eyes widening as a faraway look cast over them.

There had been two people who had ever called him "Naru-chan".

One was Sasuke.

The other was…Naruto swallowed with difficulty.

"…Itachi."

---

_"Aniki." Naruto said, solemnly as he stood behind the young man. Itachi turned around, a small smile gracing his face. Naruto knew why Itachi was waiting for him in the gardens. Itachi had always known that he covered up for Sasuke and to an extreme. Simply so Naruto lied so naturally for Sasuke that it was almost like breathing air._

_"Naru-chan." Itachi said, gently. "Who controls the wind?"_

_Naruto blinked, staring at him in shock. "W-what?"_

_"Who controls the wind?" Itachi repeated, still keeping a soft smile on his face._

_"No one does." Naruto said, in confusion._

_"And if there is to be a day with no wind, who's fault is it?" Itachi asked._

_"No one's." Naruto replied, still puzzled over these random questions._

_"But flowers need the wind to spread its seed, so it can bloom into more flowers." Itachi said. He bent down to pick up a bunch of violets. "So if the wind stops for a day…what will happen?"_

_Naruto paused to stare thoughtfully at his feet._

_"The flowers will still continue growing until the wind comes back." Naruto said, carefully._

_"Exactly. The flowers won't be able to continue on without the wind but it will continue to grow." Itachi smiled. He handed Naruto the clump of violets and Naruto accepted them wordlessly. "So if the wind happened to stop for day, the flowers will still be there until the wind decides to pick up again."_

_Naruto stared at the violets in his hand and raised his eyes to stare at Itachi. His older brother nodded to him and reached over to ruffle his golden hair._

_"I-I don't understand." Naruto managed. What were they talking about?_

_"In time." Itachi smiled, as he turned back around. "In time you will, Naruto."_

---

"Just like the wind." Naruto whispered. Gaara watched as Naruto's eyes refocused so they were directly staring into his own. Then, he pulled away.

"Do you understand now, Uzumaki?" Gaara asked with his eyes narrowed.

Naruto stood up shakily from leaning against the wall and took a deep breath. "Yes."

"Took you long enough." Gaara said, before turning to walk out of the room. He brushed his shoulders against Neji's as he walked past and Neji arched an eyebrow.

Naruto stared at Gaara's back and a soft wistful smile crossed his face.

There was only one person that Gaara would never admit he had looked after.

That person was Itachi, and Gaara had respected him greatly.

_This is not like me._ He thought as his blue eyes roamed over Sasuke to Shikamaru and Neji. He closed his eyes and ducked his head, hiding the gentle smile on his face. _Itachi, you and Kenji were so much alike. You both held the same wisdom that made you into great men._

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked, worriedly as he walked over to him. Shikamaru and Neji walked in from the door and Naruto heard them approaching.

_Perhaps I can become a great man someday. Because Sasuke has already became a great man_.

Naruto lifted his head and his eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Are you okay?" Neji asked as Shikamaru stared quizzically at him.

_So have Shika and Neji. They also have become great men._

"Yeah." Naruto said, breathing in shakily. He took a step toward them and wrapped his arms around Neji and Sasuke, pulling them together and sandwiching Shikamaru in the middle. "Thank you."

"For what?" Shikamaru mumbled, clearly uncomfortable in the embrace.

"For always being here for me." Naruto laughed, as tears of happiness threatened to spill from his eyes.

_Because I've realized that you are all the flowers and I am the wind._

_The flowers won't stop growing without the wind, but it can't continue on without it._

"Someone has to look after a brat like you." Neji grumbled as he stared up at the ceiling. Naruto sniffled and tightened his hold on them.

_Thank you…Aniki._

_And you too, Gaara._

---

Lips curled into a smirk, as the observer at the doorway turned to walk down the hall. Head with a shock of crimson red hair and green eyes betraying no emotion were the only giveaways for the identity of the person.

"I've done all I've can." He murmured as he pushed the elevator button for going down. "There's nothing else I can do."

---

Everyone was amazed that after that talk with Gaara, Naruto was happily recovering at a fast pace. But still, he wouldn't talk about what happened. Even though Sasuke was sure he knew it was Orochimaru.

But he was dead…wasn't he?

The door swung open and the housekeeper curtsied. "Master Sasuke and Master Naruto." She exclaimed, before smothering Naruto in kisses and hugs. Naruto laughed as he affectionately hugged her back.

"It's good to see you too, Marie." He smiled as they walked in. Naruto seemed a bit hesitant in his steps until Sasuke took his arm and pulled him in.

"It's your house too." Sasuke reminded him. Naruto laughed and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Right." He grinned as Sasuke shook his head in dismay.

Neji and Shikamaru had done a great job in cleaning up Naruto's apartment. They had taken all of Naruto's books and belongings and moved it into Naruto's room in a day.

Now, they climbed the stairs slowly and paused outside Naruto's bedroom door. Naruto turned his head and stared at Itachi's closed door, smiling sadly. Noticing his gaze, Sasuke smacked him gently and pointed at his door.

Naruto glared at Sasuke for a moment before opening the door. They stood in the doorway, staring into the vast bedchamber. Everything was where it used to be, except for the new additions of his medical books, desk and wardrobe.

From the billowing soft blue curtains to the soft blue bed sheets and the bare wood floor, Naruto never felt more at home.

With a couple of fast footsteps, he leaped and landed face first onto his bed, breathing in the soft smell of laundry detergent in the freshly washed sheets. He rolled over on his back and sighed in content. Sasuke chuckled as he walked over to him and sat down on the edge.

"You sure act like a kid for a 27 year old." Sasuke commented.

"Well, I'm not the one who is going to turn 30 soon." Naruto replied, sticking his tongue out at him. Sasuke twitched.

"I have two more years." He reminded him.

"Then what are those wrinkles?" Naruto asked, innocently. Sasuke gasped, before quickly reaching up to touch his face. Catching the grin on Naruto's face, he narrowed his eyes and lowered his hands. Instead, he tackled Naruto and the blonde laughed out loud as Sasuke whacked him with a pillow.

"War!" Naruto growled as he grabbed the other pillow. Sasuke couldn't remember having so much childish fun in years.

---

A couple pillows later, they were covered in feathers and Naruto sneezed. Sasuke laughed as he caught a lone feather that had flown up from Naruto's sneeze. Then, he dropped it and leaned in, kissing Naruto softly on the lips.

Naruto tensed and Sasuke frowned. Well, this was unexpected.

"Sorry." Sasuke muttered. "I forgot."

"Don't." Naruto whispered.

"I know, I won't." Sasuke frowned, looking away.

Surprisingly, warm arms wrapped around him and he turned his head around to see Naruto smiling softly at him. "Don't stop." Naruto said. Sasuke blinked and cautiously touched Naruto's face, tracing the faint whisker marks on his cheek.

"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked.

"Make me forget." Naruto smiled, as he tugged on his shirt and leaned back so he fell on the bed with Sasuke on top of him. "Make me love you more than I do."

"Tell me if you want me to stop." Sasuke warned, as he looked deeply into Naruto's blue eyes.

"I won't want you to." Naruto breathed as Sasuke slowly unbuttoned Naruto's shirt, never breaking eye contact from the blonde.

Several times, Naruto flinched at the contact on his skin and several times Sasuke paused for a moment. But he was very gentle in everything. He wanted to make sure Naruto knew how much he loved him.

He planted soft butterfly kisses down his chest, taking his time to touch his lips to the smooth golden skin.

"Sasuke…" Naruto moaned gripping onto Sasuke's shoulders. He felt hot but it fell good like liquid honey beneath his skin. "Sasuke…more."

Sasuke leaned up to capture Naruto's lips with his, slowly licking Naruto's lips until he opened for him. His tongue plunged in and their saliva mixed. As he did this, Sasuke slowly unhooked his pants and slid his hands in.

"Sasuke." Naruto whispered, drawing him close to him.

Sasuke stopped as his fingers touched the waistband of Naruto's boxers. The blonde was shaking. Feeling passion and lust slowly fade away, he slipped his hands out of Naruto's pants and danced them up his back, wrapping his arms around the younger man.

"One step at a time." Sasuke murmured as he softly kissed his earlobe.

Naruto lifted his head up and blinked. "What?"

"I won't take you unless you're ready." Sasuke murmured. "Besides, we have to have you in healthy condition, don't we?" Naruto knew he was referring to his behind and he blushed. Sasuke laughed as he rolled over, bringing Naruto on top of him.

Naruto just stared down at him as Sasuke smiled sexily with his hair tousled. "Uhm…Sasuke…" He said, shyly.

"What? Don't you want to be on top?" Sasuke asked, lifting his hips suggestively against his. Naruto gasped and his blush darkened even more. "Just kidding, Naru-chan."

"Don't play, Sasuke." Naruto pouted as he attempted to get off from straddling the sexy man.

"Sorry. Sorry." Sasuke laughed, shortly as he pulled Naruto toward him and kissed him lovingly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Naruto replied, as he pulled away, breathless. "Sasuke…"

"Hm?" He replied, nuzzling Naruto's neck.

"…What am I going to do with Shinja Co.?"

Sasuke frowned and pulled away, flopping onto his side and staring up at Naruto who had sat up. With a sigh, he drew his arm over his eyes. "You're not going back there."

"But I have to." Naruto said, looking away. "I can't leave them, the press knows about this. And if Oro-." He broke off suddenly and clamped his mouth shut. Sasuke slowly withdrew his arm from his face and stared at him.

"You were about to say _his_ name, weren't you?" Sasuke demanded. "You were going to say 'Orochimaru'." Naruto turned a shade of gray and that just confirmed all of Sasuke's suspicions. "You're not going back there."

"A plan. I have a plan." Naruto said, quickly. "I won't let him know that you all know about him…and me. I'll merge the company with you and take Shinja down."

"Are you crazy?" Sasuke snapped. "You're not going anywhere where _he_ can be. I'm not letting my eyes off of you."

"No!" Naruto gasped, eyes wide in horror. "You can't do that! He'll…He'll _kill_ you!"

"I don't die that easily, Naruto." Sasuke smirked. Naruto glared before getting off the bed, striding toward the door. But Sasuke beat him to it, and slammed the door shut before leaning with his back onto it. "I'll think of something, Naruto. Don't worry about it for now."

Naruto crossed his arms and stared at the floor angrily. "Trust me." Sasuke murmured as he drew him close to him. "I'll think of something by tomorrow. Now you get some rest, I'll be in my study."

Then with a final kiss to his lips, Sasuke left the room with a blink of an eye.

And Naruto lifted his fingers to his lips, smiling softly.

---

For the rest of the day, he didn't see Sasuke. But he knew he was in his study, thinking. Several times, Naruto found himself in front of the door but was unable to knock. The maids of the house watched him with curiosity as he napped, watched TV, ate, and basically did nothing all day.

Finally, getting deathly bored of the house; he walked upstairs to Sasuke's study and stood outside the door.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand to knock and the door swung open.

Sasuke stood in front of him, smiling in excitement. His dark eyes glittered strangely.

The doorbell rang.

"Ah…Sasuke-." Naruto began.

"Master Sasuke, you have guests." Marie called from downstairs.

"I got you bodyguards." Sasuke breathed. "They'll be my eyes and they can follow you everywhere without being suspicious."

"What?" Naruto blinked.

"They're perfect! I made a few calls and found them. No one will suspect they have connections with Ryuujin." Sasuke continued as he took his hand and drew him toward the railing at the top of the stairs that overlooked the front of the house.

Standing at the entrance were two people.

Naruto's eyes widened in recognition, he had gone to school with the two. But when he had gone into the medical field, they had separated into law.

"Naruto." The one who had spoken had soft dark hair tied back sophisticatedly. He wore a simple black suit with a white shirt underneath. His companion was a tall man with very broad shoulders and was wearing a dark gray suit with a black shirt underneath. They were both staring up at them.

"Haku?" Naruto gasped, eyes widening in surprise. "Zabuza!"

"Our paths cross yet again." Haku smiled, bowing slightly.

Zabuza grunted in agreement.

---

XD TBC! Haku and Zabuza! XD gets excited Don't worry…Kakashi lovers! He will come in…some day.


	13. Broken Glass

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author: **Kisu

**Rating:** R

**Pairings: **SasuNaru

A/N: I haven't updated in a week and a half? …Let's say almost two weeks. I was sad when I didn't break 200 but that's okay! That's what this chapter is for! I brought a little bit of OroNaru back into the fic. It's just a flashback tho…so yeah..3 Enjoy! R/R Flame, Criticize, Glomp….XD (Replies at the end of chapter)

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**_Chapter 13: Broken Glass_**

"Is it really all right?" Naruto asked again as he turned around from where he was staring out the window.

"It will be fine." Haku assured him, his warm eyes slightly soothing his distressed state. Naruto looked down and stared at his hands, slowly bringing them up to his face.

They were trembling.

Haku glanced at him and closed his hands over his, holding them gently. "I don't understand." Naruto told him. "I'm not nervous but I'm shaking like a leaf."

"Even if you don't think about it, your subconscious knows." Haku said, softly. "Your body doesn't want to go back."

"Aa." Naruto smiled, lightly.

"It'll be all right. We won't let our eyes off of you." Haku promised as he stared out the window.

It was perfect since Orochimaru's lawyers belonged to the firm that Haku was in. His lips thinned out into a line and the hand resting on his knee slowly curled up into a tight fist. He would follow Naruto around, playing the part of the lawyer for the insurance that Orochimaru was currently leeching off of.

Zabuza would come in later, applying for a bodyguard position. They had to be careful or Orochimaru might get suspicious, especially since he had eyes everywhere.

"I have a secretary." Naruto spoke up suddenly. Haku turned to look at him in surprise. "I think she is the one who Orochimaru gives his orders to. Because she was the one who took me to-." He paused and clenched his eyes shut. "…to Uzumaki Manor."

"Uzumaki Manor?" Haku repeated.

"My grandmother's summer house." Naruto said. "That was where he-." He bit down of his lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me." Haku reassured him.

"I have to tell you." Naruto insisted. Haku looked doubtful and he turned to catch Zabuza looking back at them.

"Go on then." Zabuza growled softly. Naruto clasped his hands together tightly.

"They must have known he was there. Even the housekeeper, she knew he was there." Naruto whispered. "The secretary is named Kin."

"Kin huh?" Haku repeated as the towering skyscraper of Shinja Co. came into view. Zabuza slowly slid the car to a stop and Naruto breathed out shakily as the door was opened.

"Mr. Uzumaki. Welcome to Shinja Co." The doorman greeted him. Haku gave him a reassuring glance and Zabuza nodded slightly as his eyes met his in the mirror.

"Thank you." Naruto said, all masks in place. He slowly slid his long legs out of the car, standing up tall. "But I prefer to be called Dr. Uzumaki."

"Oh, yes. My apologies, doctor." The doorman said in a flustered voice. Haku got out of the car behind him and the doorman quickly shut the door.

"Sir." Haku said, softly. Naruto slowly slid his gaze upwards to the top of the towering building before walking steadily toward the entrance of the building. As he neared, the double doors slid open smoothly and he walked into the first floor.

"Mr. Uzumaki!" The security guards quickly stood up, hiding their doughnuts behind them as Naruto strode past him and to the elevators. Stepping into the metal box, he closed his eyes and the doors slid shut.

"Nicely done, Naruto." Haku murmured, softly.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes. "The play has begun." He whispered.

---

Kin was flustered. She had seen glimpses of the blonde man all day but he hadn't been able to talk to him. Her fingers tightened around the files that she held in her arms as she walked through the top floor of Shinja Co. As she turned a corner, her eyes widened and she quickly rushed forward.

"Mr. Uzumaki!" Kin called out. If Naruto had heard her, he didn't acknowledge her because he kept walking and was currently talking to a client of Shinja Co. "Mr. Uzumaki, I must speak with you immediately!"

The man who stood behind Naruto turned around with such fluid grace that Kin stumbled in awe. He was shockingly beautiful with soft brown eyes and sleek dark hair tied back in a ponytail. "Did you need something?" He asked, kindly.

Kin blinked dumbly before remembering position. She adjusted her glasses and narrowed her eyes. "Do you know who I am? I am his secretary and I have an urgent matter to discuss with him!"

"I don't believe we've met." The man replied. "But if you would like, I could deliver your message to him."

Kin's eyes grew wide and she lowered her eyelashes, lips curving into a smirk. "I could get you fired. How dare you brush me off like some nobody." She said. "I am Kin, Mr. Uzumaki's secretary and all his matters are entitled to his ears only."

"Then, Ms. Kin." Haku smiled, eyes flashing with an indescribable emotion. "I suggest you go back behind your desk. A secretary is not needed when _Dr_. Uzumaki has an personal assistant."

"W-What?" Kin gasped, face paling of all its color. "What do you mean?"

Haku slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket and extracted a small white card. "I am a lawyer, representing the insurance company of all the claims that Orochimaru has been entitled to. I will also be assisting Dr. Uzumaki in all matters regarding the company." He smiled. "Let's just say I'm here to make sure Mr. Orochimaru's death is legitimate."

Kin slowly reached out to take the piece of white cardboard from Haku's hand. She slowly brought it up to her face and stared at the bold black print on the rough surface. Then her face contorted into an expression of anger and she closed her hand, crumbling the card in the process. "How dare you come in here when we are still grieving for our deceased president?"

"It is just business, ma'am." Haku replied, kindly. Kin stared at him, eyes blazing in fury. Then she quickly drew her hand up and prepared to backhand Haku in the face. His brown eyes didn't even flinch at the motion but the sharp voice that sliced through her reverie stopped her movement.

_"Kin." _

Cheeks burning red in embarrassment and anger, Kin moved her gaze from Haku's face to the blonde who was standing farther down the hall. His blue eyes' piercing her's in icy rage. She stood frozen, her mind unable to process the sudden change of events.

"…Sir." She stammered as Naruto strolled toward them with long strides.

"What do you think you are doing?" He asked, eyebrows drawing together in disapproval.

"I-I just…" Kin began, uneasily.

"Do not stand in the way of his job, Kin. Is that understood?" Naruto asked, his voice dropping down to a low tone. Kin nodded mutely and Naruto turned to Haku, ignoring Kin completely. "My apologies, sir. Please forgive the incompetence of my secretary." Haku nodded, smiling politely.

"It's all right. I know office work can be very stressful." Haku replied, easily. Naruto smiled and gestured him to walk in front of him, which Haku obliged.

"Get back to your desk, Kin." Naruto's harsh tone made the blood in her veins run cold.

"Yes, sir." Kin managed before quickly rushing back the way she had came from.

Once out of sight, she quickly turned the corner and leaned against the wall. Her senses seemed to fail her as her fingers numbly extracted her cell phone from her purse. Her fingers shook as she punched in the number that she had remembered by heart. Her breath came out in soft, panicky gasps.

"He's gone mad." Kin whispered to herself as she willed the other line to pick up. "He's nothing like he was before."

A sigh of relief rushed through her parted lips as the other end of the line was picked up.

_"Speak."_

"Sir." Kin began, haltingly. "We have a problem."

---

"No bugs or cameras." Haku confirmed after checking through the room for the third time.

Naruto glanced around anxiously and wrapped his arms tighter around himself. Even if the office was relatively warm, he couldn't help but feel the slight chill that seemed to seep into his bones. It was very unnerving when you were standing in an office of a man who was presumed dead.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, desperately. He couldn't help but feel a bit paranoid. Haku blinked and got up from where he was examining the bottom of large black desk.

"I can go another round if you'll like." He offered.

"No, no." Naruto gestured, quickly. "It's fine. I just can't help but feel like I'm being watched." To emphasize his point, his blue eyes restlessly flickered around the room. Then, he swallowed with difficulty when his eyes landed on the leather chair behind the desk. "There is no way I'm sitting in that."

"Relax Naruto." Haku said, reassuringly. "I'll go get you some coffee while you get adjusted. You still like it with sweetened milk, right?"

"Ah…yeah." Naruto blinked as Haku smiled and slid out the door. He watched silently as the door click shut.

After few moments of foreboding silence, Naruto stood up slowly and walked toward the personal bathroom. He entered it and stood in front of the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. With a flick of his wrist, the faucet relinquished clear cold water and he cupped his fingers under the stream. Quickly, he washed his face and turned off the faucet. He reached out for one of the hand towels on the side of the sink and dried his face with it. Then he placed it back in its place.

Sparing the bathroom one last glance, he proceeded to walk back into the office. But the maroon colored bath towel hanging next to the shower stall caught his eye.

Fingers shakily reached out to brush against the terry cloth fabric and his eyes widened.

It was partially dried…and partially damp.

"Oh god." He whispered, throat working convulsively. "No. No way…"

There were only three people who had keys into the office: Kin,Orochimaru, and himself.

That meant _he_ had been in this office recently.

Naruto's head jerked around as he caught sight of his panicked expression in the mirror. Taking a step closer, his face suddenly became a replica of Orochimaru's. He blinked hard and Orochimaru's face disappeared.

---

_The older man hovered above him trying to catch his breath. Sweat clung to their hot bodies and the smell of sex filled the room. The candle on the nightstand had long died out and the single light bulb in the room had been turned on, casting an eerie glow over its contents. His eyes were shut tightly, refusing to look at the man above him._

_Cold, pale hands reached out to brush a lock of his sweat-drenched hair off his eyelids._

_"You're so beautiful." He whispered as Naruto trembled at his touch. _

_A low mocking laugh came from the dark haired man as he leaned over his neck, long tendrils of damp dark hair tickling his collarbone. _

_"I see that you aren't complete yet, my dearest Kyuubi." He breathed. "Soon you will be drink in the power that I give to you. Soon you will be relentless like me."_

_"What-." Naruto hissed before Orochimaru sank his teeth into his neck. He gave a pain-filled cry, jerking at the tight bonds that had rubbed his wrists raw._

---

Naruto choked as he clamped a hand over his neck, feeling it flare into pain as he recalled his memories. His vision became distorted and he swore he saw blood red eyes staring back at him. The faint whisker-like marks across his cheeks darkened and his features had become more demonic.

"No." He shook his head, body arching as another jolt of pain erupted from the bite on his neck. "I'm not a monster!"

"Soon you will be relentless like me."

What was Orochimaru? How could a bite from him give him pain like this?

His grip on the edge of the porcelain sink tightened and in fury, he smashed his fist into the mirror.

Shards of glass flew up and glittered as they caught the light. Then they fell silently and slowly around him, dusting his suit like thousands of diamonds.

---

"Naruto?" There was a knock on the door and it slid open. Haku walked in and placed a black mug of coffee that was lightened to a soft brown from the sweetened milk, onto the black polished desk. Something glinted in the corner of his eye and he turned his head, staring at the shards of glass tinted with blood lying on the tiles of the bathroom floor. "Naruto, what happened?" He asked, sharply as he stared at the back of the blonde man.

"I've come to a decision." His voice was strangely flat and devoid of all emotion.

Suddenly, Haku felt the air fill with an overpowering killing intent and he unconsciously took a step back. "What have you decided?" He asked, mouth gone dry.

Naruto turned around, eyes closed and a smirk on his face. Slowly, he opened his eyes and Haku gasped.

They were blood red unlike the azure blue hue that he was so familiar with.

"Ryuujin must fall at the hands of Shinja." He declared.

_"I chose you because you're special."_

_"Answer to my call, Kyuubi."_

_"…DNA…fox…"_

_"Soon you will become relentless like me."_

---

TBC…I got a suggestion from a reviewer (sorry too lazy to go look it up…but tell me in the next review who you are…3) …when I was asking for ideas on how to continue this fic. They told me to made Naruto evil…so…here it is. XD

And…Kakashi hasn't come in yet…I'm still trying to decide when to put him in.

kin uchiha: lol they aren't that old...XD

bakachan17: thanks. i luv all my readers too! 3

shiomi: haku and zabuza? i'm not sure if they have any interaction..whatever floats the boat i guess...teehee

anael razualle: jiraiya? i thought about that but i wanted haku and zabuza to play a part...maybe jiraiya will play a part later.

To all my readers who i didn't respond to: thanks for reading again! i'm glad you like gaara'a part and i'm glad you all like haku and zabuza...even though zabuza haven't played an important role yet. teehee.


	14. Old Friends

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** PG

**Pairings:** Sasuke x Naruto, Zabuza x Haku

A/N: Another chapter! I just had to portray Zabuza's character. XD Also, enter the scarecrow… Please pardon my grammar and punctuation.

Disclaimer: Kishimoto is a genius! I do not deserve to write this fanfiction! (which also means I don't own any of the characters and such…)

**_Chapter 14: Old Friends_**

A figure with dark brown hair that fell in silky strands around slim shoulders slowly placed the phone back in its cradle. A moment of silence ensued as Zabuza watched in amusement. Slowly the figure turned and let out a girly squeal making Zabuza startle badly. The tea in his teacup spilled over the ceramic edges and dripped onto the saucer.

"Zabuza!" The younger man cried. "Guess who called?"

"The plumber." Zabuza replied after a moment of thought.

"No!" Haku sighed. "It was Sasuke. The Sasuke!"

"Sasuke?" Zabuza repeated, clearly not familiar with that name.

"Naruto's brother!" Haku frowned. "Don't you remember Naruto telling us about him?"

"Oh him." Zabuza nodded before taking a sip from his cup. "Well what did he want?"

"He wants to hire us to be Naruto's bodyguards!" Haku beamed. "It'll just be like old times! We'll make cookies and drink cocoa and tell scary stories in the dark!"

"…" Zabuza raised an eyebrow.

"I can't wait to see him again; he's probably grown so handsome and strong." Haku beamed.

"Naruto is only a few years younger than you, Haku." Zabuza said, pointedly.

"Let's get packing! We'll get on the next flight to Konoha!" Haku exclaimed, rushing out of the room in a whirlwind.

"But we're lawyers." Zabuza blinked. "Why were we hired as bodyguards?"

---

All the while in the car from the airport to the Uchiha estate, Haku couldn't wait to see Naruto. He expected to see the same young man from college, a bubbling teenager with a high outlook on life. One who was bright as the sun even when it was shrouded in a cloak of darkness.

When he followed Zabuza into the house, he waited expectantly as the housekeeper paused at the bottom of the stairs.

"Master Sasuke, you have guests." Her voice was very motherly as what Haku expected from her warm greeting at their arrival.

Haku quickly strode up beside Zabuza, eyes scanning the top of the stairs for the familiar blonde.

His breath caught in his throat as a man appeared with eyes and hair as dark as a moonless night sky. This was Uchiha Sasuke, Naruto's older brother. A moment later another figure appeared next to him and Haku stared, eyes widening at Naruto's appearance.

His hair was still a brilliant gold and his eyes were still a beautiful cerulean blue. But what shocked him most of all was the darkness in those blue eyes and the sharpness that told them that Naruto had seen so much that others haven't seen in his young age.

"Haku!" He exclaimed. "Zabuza."

Haku stepped forward, throat working to answer the false cheerfulness in Naruto's tone. A hand clasped over his from behind and Haku's gaze quickly flickered to Zabuza before flicking upwards at the blonde.

Then with a sad smile, he bowed. "Our paths cross yet again." His voice was strong, warm, and reassuring but he couldn't help but feel his heart shatter into pieces.

The Naruto that they once knew was not the Naruto here.

---

In the outside world, life went on as it normally did. However it seemed like time had frozen inside the office. Haku stared at the blonde man before choosing his words carefully.

"What do you mean Ryuujin is going to fall?" He asked.

"I'll take them all down." Naruto smiled eerily. His red eyes glowed with passion. "I'll take down everyone who opposes me!"

"Opposes you on what?" Haku asked. What had happened in the few minutes that he had left the room? He took a step back. What if Orochimaru had been here?

"Haku." Naruto continued. "I discovered the solution to all of this! Shinja and Ryuujin must be put down! Then this will be all over."

"Are you serious?" Haku demanded. "You're taking down both gangs?"

"Nothing will change my mind." Naruto replied firmly. "I don't want any tools like Gaara and I to be created again."

"I really think you should talk it over with Sasuke." Haku told him. Naruto paused and a flicker of emotion flashed through his eyes.

"No."

"Naruto." Haku protested.

"If you get in my way, I'll kill you." Naruto whispered. Haku froze and a cold chill went down his back.

"Naruto." A new voice sliced through their conversation and they both turned to look at the corner of the room where the speaker walked out of the shadows. Zabuza narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Think carefully before you act."

"Zabuza, when did you-" Haku began.

"I've been here the entire time." Zabuza interrupted. "I saw you smashing the mirror, Naruto. Who did you see?"

"I-I saw…" Naruto whispered, eyes glazing over. Then in a flash, he regained his composure. "I saw no one!" He scowled.

"Are you sure?" Zabuza walked closer and Haku opened his mouth to protest. "Did you see Orochimaru in the mirror? Did you see yourself as Orochimaru?"

"I'm not Orochimaru!" Naruto yelled in outrage.

"Zabuza, that's enough!" Haku gasped, quickly stepping in between the two men. "You know how sensitive Naruto to all of this!" As he spoke Zabuza's eyes widened and he suddenly pushed him out of the way. Zabuza grunted as Naruto sliced down with a letter opener that he had grabbed from the desk.

"Zabuza!" Haku cried in dismay. "Naruto, what are you doing?"

Zabuza frowned and pulled back his hand, blood dripping from the shallow flesh wound on his palm. Then clenching his hand into a tight fist, he lunged out and slammed it into Naruto's cheek. Blood from his hand spotted Naruto's face and the blonde gasped, his red eyes turning back to its normal blue.

With shaking fingers, Naruto touched his bruised cheek before flickering to the solemn Zabuza and worried Haku. Then his gaze flickered to the letter opener in his hand and allowed it to fall from numb fingers.

"What have I done?" He whispered, falling to his knees. "What's wrong with me?"

Haku quickly rushed over to him and dropped onto his knees beside the blonde. Then swiftly, he drew Naruto against his chest, arms circling protectively around him.

"Zabuza." Haku whispered. He looked up, his normally serene brown eyes filled with anger. "Tell Sasuke that we will move to plan B."

"Plan B?" Zabuza stated.

"We will sign over Shinja Co. immediately. Naruto will not step into this building again." Haku declared.

"I will prepare the papers, then." Zabuza said, smoothly. He walked out of the room, professionally expressionless as before.

Haku let his arms tighten around the shaking man and closed his eyes, lips resting on the top of the sunshine colored hair.

"It'll be okay Naruto." He told him. "No one can get to you with Zabuza and me around. Not even Orochimaru."

---

"Here." Zabuza unceremoniously dumped a folder onto Sasuke's desk. Sasuke peered up at the older man from behind his glasses and he touched the manila cover.

"What's this?" Sasuke asked.

"They are papers to sign Shinja Co. over to you." Zabuza said, coolly. Sasuke leaned back in his leather chair and took off his glasses. One hand reached up to massage the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"What happened to the plan?" He asked.

"Haku decided to terminate the plan. Since he is a good analyzer, I believe that we should terminate the plan too." Zabuza explained.

"Did something happen?" Sasuke asked, opening his eyes.

"It's nothing that you should worry about." Zabuza said. "I'll pick up the papers tomorrow morning. Naruto will be staying with Zabuza and I for the time being."

"Wait." Sasuke shot up from his chair. "Where are you two taking him? There is plenty of room here and I expected that you two would stay here with Naruto."

"We're not bodyguards, Mr. Uchiha." Zabuza said. "We're lawyers."

"I'll pay you double then." Sasuke frowned.

"We didn't take the job for the pay, Mr. Uchiha." Zabuza smiled lightly. "We took the job because Naruto is like a younger brother to us." Sasuke watched as Zabuza slowly walked to the door of his study and open it. "Money can come and go but family is irreplaceable." Then he walked out the door, closing it softly behind him.

With a small smile on his lips, Sasuke sat back down and opened the manila folder to the first page. "Don't you think I know that?" He whispered to empty air.

---

"I'm home."

"Welcome back!" The cheerful voice broke into his thoughts and he whipped around to stare at Naruto who was beaming at him from over a bowl of ramen. Haku walked out of the kitchen with another bowl and placed it on the table.

"You're back, early." Haku smiled. "Come have some ramen with us."

"It's miso ramen!" Naruto grinned. "I haven't had this for ages!"

"Your favorite, eh?" Haku smiled, gently ruffling Naruto's blonde spikes.

Zabuza smiled slightly turning around to hang up his jacket. "I'll go change; you guys can start without me."

"Ok." Haku replied.

Zabuza walked into his room and slowly undid the buttons of this dress shirt. Tossing it carelessly on the bed, he frowned unconsciously as he made his way to the bathroom. Quickly washing his hands and washing his face. Turning off the faucet, he stood up and attempted to look for a towel with his eyes closed.

"Here." Haku smiled. A towel brushed against his hands and Zabuza grunted in thanks as he dried his face.

"Naruto looks better." Zabuza commented as he handed the towel back to Haku. Haku nodded and followed him out of the bathroom.

"Time can help wounds heal but the scar remains there forever." Haku murmured, absently.

"Again with your poetics." Zabuza retorted as he disappeared inside his closet. When he emerged, Haku was absently staring out of his window. "What's wrong?" He asked, walking over to him. Haku slowly leaned back against his chest, their fingers interweaving.

"I hope Naruto will regain his old self." He murmured.

"He will." Zabuza said, contently. "But then what will happen?"

"We will take him away. He can live with us and become the renowned doctor he always wanted to be." Haku declared. "We'll open a law firm and defend Naruto against any lawsuits from ill-mannered patients!"

Zabuza chuckled softly. "When Naruto regains his true self. He will decide his future because he's a grown man now. He knows what is right and what is wrong."

"I know." Haku sighed. "But I want to be there with him when he chooses."

"I do too." Zabuza admitted. They stayed that way for a while, looking out the window in silence. Then Zabuza shifted and wrapped an arm around Haku's waist. "I'll call an old friend tomorrow and you can call Naruto's old teacher."

"Iruka?" Haku blinked.

"Yes and I will call the other." Zabuza smiled.

"You don't mean Kakashi do you?" Haku asked, suspiciously.

"Perhaps." Zabuza replied.

"WHAT?"

One person sleeping on the couch was oblivious to it all.

---

It was a bright beautiful day, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping. Zabuza hated cheerful mornings. Giving a great yawn, he sat up and rubbed his eyes and fell off the bed as an ear-splitting scream shattered the morning's serenity. The door to his bedroom swung open and Haku, still in his fluffy white robe and slippers stood in the doorway.

"Naruto is gone!" He wailed. Zabuza sighed and got up. Then he walked over to the door and promptly shut it in Haku's face.

With another sigh, he walked to his bathroom to get ready.

Haku would probably want to go in search of Naruto.

---

His cell phone rang for the millionth time that morning and Naruto stared at it. He had turned it back on earlier and after being fed up with all the ringing, he placed it on silent. Only the flashing screen told him that the caller hadn't stop trying.

"Sasuke." He murmured, propping the side of his face up by leaning onto the table. He had no idea how to face him.

He took another sip of his latte and stared out the window. It was a small cozy café that was a few blocks away from Haku and Zabuza's apartment. Having no luck in finding coffee in the kitchen, he had decided to go out for some. Besides he loved mornings, especially ones when the sun was already ablaze in its rich golden color.

Still with a content smile on his face, he watched as a man walk by. The man had silver hair falling in soft tendrils over the left side of his face. In his hand was a romance novel, a smutty one as it seemed from the explicit cover.

The thoughtful expression on his face was suddenly replaced with a look of horror. With a start, Naruto jolted up from his chair.

Oh no. This wasn't good. He had to run away.

The bell on the caf's door chimed lightly as it opened and shut.

The silver haired man walked up behind him and Naruto grabbed his cell phone, preparing to make a dash for the door.

Then a firm hand landed on his shoulder and he tensed.

"Yo."

Slowly he turned around and smiled meekly.

"Hello professor." Naruto greeted the tall man.

Hatake Kakashi beamed and sat down next to him.

---

A/N: Boo…Naruto was only evil for like…a couple of seconds…ahahaha…sorry for the disappointment. I just didn't know how to continue the story with evil Naruto. But, I really love Haku and Zabuza's portrayal. And for the entrance of Kakashi, thanks to SiriusRemusLove for the suggestion!

I take all your suggestions seriously XD So I might incorporate your ideas into the fics!

Thanks for reading all!

Anime Lass: Thanks for your suggestion but I don't know if I can write Orochimaru into character like that. We'll see. XO


	15. Obito

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** PG

**Pairings:** ?

A/N: Sorry for the wait, hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

**_Chapter 15: Obito_**

"Where the hell are you, Naruto?" Sasuke yelled as he slammed his phone down for the millionth time. With a harsh exhale of breath, he sat down on his leather sofa, staring intently at the phone for a few moments. The hand that was resting on top of his knee twitched as he fought the urge to dial Naruto's cell phone again.

"Master Sasuke." His housekeeper approached him and quietly placed a tray down onto the coffee table. With years of practiced experience from the Uchiha's infamous tempers, the housekeeper kept her hands steady as she held out the cup of tea that rested on a pretty white saucer.

Sasuke sighed and accepted the cup of tea. "Marie, you know that if I wanted a cup of tea I would get it myself."

"I think you'll die of thirst first before you give in on your stubbornness." Marie replied. She stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of her crisp white apron. "I have served your family for years, Master Sasuke."

"Marie, you were always like a second mother to me and Naruto." Sasuke replied. "You should let the other maids do the work."

"It's my joy to watch you grow up into a wonderful man, Master Sasuke." Marie replied warmly. "But…Master Naruto on the other hand…"

"I know." Sasuke sighed as he stared mournfully at the phone. _Ring. Damn you. Ring._

"Please bring him back, sir." Marie murmured. "I feel that something terrible is going to happen soon."

Sasuke stared at the phone for a moment before reaching for it. Then, he dialed the numbers slowly. He never did use the redial button, because pounding on the keypad was a wonderful way to relieve stress. He raised the phone to his ear and held his breath as he waited for the other line to ring.

---

_BRRING._

Kakashi stared at the cell phone with great interest before shifting his gaze to Naruto. Naruto was concentrating hard on the flashing screen of his phone but making no move to pick it up.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Kakashi asked, finally.

"It's Sasuke." Naruto mumbled.

"Sasuke eh?" Kakashi exclaimed in delight. "I heard about him from Iruka!" With a quick motion, he leaned over and grabbed the cell phone from Naruto's side of the table. "Hello!"

"…"

"Professor!" Naruto gasped in shock.

"Not very conversational are you?" Kakashi asked, glancing at the screen. Yep. It was definitely Sasuke.

"Who are you?" The voice on the other line demanded. Kakashi blinked. This man had a wonderful baritone and the traces of anger in his voice made it send chills down Kakashi's back.

"Who are you?" Kakashi asked in return. He gave a broad wink to Naruto who was still staring at him in horror.

"Damn you! Why do you have Naruto's cell phone?" Sasuke yelled angrily. "If I find out who you are…"

"I'm Naruto's lover." Kakashi replied, happily. Silence was on the other line before he heard a choking gasp.

"What?"

"Professor!" Naruto cried, grabbing for the cell phone. Kakashi leaned back from the advances of the blonde.

"Professor?" Sasuke sounded suspicious. "Was that Naruto?"

"Oh yes, my pet name…" Kakashi grinned. "…in bed."

"Oh god." Naruto gasped before attacking the older man. People must have thought the pair was very strange, because Kakashi hit the floor rather hard with Naruto on top of him. The blonde quickly grabbed the phone away from Kakashi and jumped back. "Sasuke?"

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked. "Who the hell was that on the phone?"

"Don't believe anything he said, Sasuke." Naruto said, urgently. "He was my professor at Konoha University and Iruka's lover."

"Iruka?" Sasuke repeated. "Our teacher from middle school?" Naruto nodded earnestly into the phone and Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"He can't see you, you know." He pointed out.

"Why do you insist on making my life a living hell?" Naruto hissed at him.

"Because it's fun!" Kakashi beamed. "Iruka never forgets to mention you, you know. He's always saying how smart you are and how you'll become a doctor someday…"

"I already am a doctor." Naruto reminded him.

"You see?" Kakashi replied. Naruto glared at him before resuming his conversation with Sasuke.

"I'm a little busy right now, Sasuke. I'll call you back later." Naruto said.

"Don't you dare hang up." Sasuke warned. "Do you know how many times I have called you? Where are you right now? That Haku is a bad influence on you! Tell me where you are! I'll come pick you up."

"Just give me a few days, Sasuke." Naruto murmured. Kakashi sat back down in his seat and Naruto eyed him warily. "I'll come back to you."

"Naruto-!"

_Click._

"Well I think that went well didn't you?" Kakashi commented as he signaled the waitress to take his order. Naruto frowned and slipped his cell phone into his coat pocket.

"Now, tell me. What are you doing here, professor?" Naruto demanded.

Kakashi smiled mysteriously as the waitress walked over with a pad and pen in her hands. "One latte and a scone, miss." The waitress nodded and walked away. The man with silver hair that fell sexily over one eye turned around slowly and gave him a broad grin. "Let's just say, 'the road of life took me here'."

"You and your stupid excuses." Naruto huffed.

---

"Let's go! Let's go!" Haku cried as he rushed toward the door. Zabuza followed him, slowly putting on his jacket. Haku pulled it open the door and the two of them stared at the figure on their doorstep. The man stared back at him, finger already poised to ring the doorbell. Then he straightened and cleared his throat.

"Hello." He smiled, uncertainly.

"Mr. Umino!" Haku exclaimed in delight. "You're here so…early!"

"Iruka will do just fine. Where is Naruto?" He asked.

"Naruto's gone." Haku replied. "We're going out to look for him right now."

"Come to think of it, he left early too." Iruka mumbled. "Wait a second…"

"He?" Haku repeated, confusedly.

"You don't mean that stupid pervert, do you?" Zabuza spoke up.

"Kakashi!" Iruka scowled, rushing off the steps.

"Wait! Don't you have a class to teach today?" Haku called after him. But the man was already out of hearing distance in perusal of a certain dark-eyed man.

---

"Any girls lately?" Kakashi asked.

"No." Naruto frowned. "Why the hell are you here, anyways?"

"Because I love you!" Kakashi replied, messing up his hair with great enthusiasm. "You were my best student! Teaching wasn't the same after you graduated."

"You made my life a living hell in your class." Naruto reminded him, grimly.

"Because you were so damn introverted." Kakashi said. "Someone had to pull you out of your shell." Naruto glanced at him before turning back to stare out the window. Sensing the change in atmosphere, Kakashi waited until the waitress placed his scone and coffee in front of him. Then he let the silence stretch as he took a sip from his cup.

"You haven't told me why you're here." Naruto reminded him as he reached for his cup. Kakashi slowly placed his cup back onto its saucer and watched him solemnly.

"Your father was a great man." He said. Naruto's fingers tightened around the handle of his cup.

"I know." Naruto replied, calmly.

"He taught me many things when I was in Shinja." Kakashi continued.

"You were in Shinja?" Naruto whispered. "Are you here to take me to Orochimaru?" He shot to his feet and slammed his cup down onto the table and it shattered upon impact. Kakashi watched him calmly. "You'll never take me back!"

"Naruto, calm down." Kakashi said as he reached for his coffee cup.

"How much are they offering you, _professor_?" Naruto spat. He lashed out at the Kakashi's cup, sending it shattering to the floor. Kakashi stood up and in one fluid motion, grabbed Naruto's wrist.

"You are paying for those cups, Naruto." Kakashi told him. His visible eye glinted with hidden anger. "Now come with me."

"Hell no!" Naruto snapped before hissing in pain. Kakashi tightened his grip on his wrist and Naruto winced.

"Have you forgotten your past?" Kakashi asked as he leaned over him. "You were not the man that you are now. Did you remember your despair and your loss of hope?"

"No..." Naruto closed his eyes in an attempt to block him out.

"Crimson red weaves like silk; staining the floor with anger, and tears come slowly." Kakashi murmured.

"Shut up!" Naruto screamed.

"Kakashi!"

The intruding voice made Kakashi swiftly turn his head, so that the silver tendrils that fell over the left side of his face lifted up. Revealing to them the single scar that ran from his eyebrow and vertically down his eye.

Iruka stared at him angrily. "Let him go."

Slowly, Kakashi straightened and he lifted his fingers one by one. He released Naruto's wrist and the blonde buckled to his knees, falling to the floor. Iruka rushed over to Naruto and gathered him in his arms. "Kakashi that was uncalled for." Iruka frowned. "What made you react that way?"

"He must know the truth." Kakashi said, quietly. He reached up and his fingertips brushed his scarred eye.

"Kakashi. You got carried away." Zabuza spoke up from beside a furious Haku.

"Where were you planning on taking him?" Haku demanded. Kakashi slowly looked up and studied the slendar man. Then, his gaze shifted to the shaking blonde in Iruka's arms.

"His godfather wants to meet him." Kakashi murmured.

---

Iruka sat across from Kakashi, studying the somber man with sad eyes.

They had gone back to Zabuza and Haku's apartment and Haku was seeing Naruto to bed.

"For as long as I've known you, Hatake Kakashi…" Iruka began. "I've never seen you lose your cool."

"There are some things that you don't need to know about me." Kakashi replied. "You're better off being ignorant."

"That haiku you said to Naruto, shook him up pretty badly." Iruka frowned. "I want to know why."

"Crimson red weaves like silk; staining the floor with anger, and tears come slowly." Haku said as he entered the room with a tray of tea and rice crackers. "A poem that Naruto once wrote. Am I right?"

"There was a time when Naruto was unstable." Kakashi told them. "When he would never smiled, nor spoke. He sat in my class, in the very front row listening to my lectures on the human anatomy but never focusing. His gaze was always vacant and staring off into the distance. He had registered under the name of Uzumaki and I knew that the Uzumaki clan had been wiped out long ago. So I figured Naruto was the only son of Uzumaki Asato. A man that I betrayed."

"Uzumaki Asato?" Iruka repeated.

"A man I betrayed for power. The fault will be carried by me forever, etched into this scar." Kakashi continued. He moved back his hair that covered the left side of his face and opened his closed eye. The eye was the color of freshly spilled blood, crimson red and eerily inhuman.

"That is…" Zabuza stared.

"A trait of the Uchiha bloodline. On the brink of death, their eyes would turn a blood red." Kakashi explained.

"How did you obtain it?" Haku asked, feeling slightly sick from Kakashi's explanation.

"It was a parting gift from Uchiha Obito, who gouged out his eye by his very own hand." The silver haired man said.

"Uchiha Obito?" Zabuza nodded slowly. "He was a great man and destined to greatness. But he died at a very young age."

---

_"Kakashi!"_

_The young man with silver hair swung around as a tall man with golden spikes and broad shoulders hurried toward him._

_"Let go of me!" He screamed as the man placed a hand on his shoulder. He swung around, his left hand covering his left eye where rivets of blood trailed down his face._

_"Kakashi, who did that to you?" The man asked, blue eyes wide with worry._

_"None of your business!" Kakashi screamed. Uzumaki Asato straightened slowly, face devoid of expression._

_"Forgive my intrusion, Master Kakashi." Asato said as he began to walk away._

_Kakashi stared through his good eye. That was right, he had killed a man to get into Orochimaru's good graces. But today, the gang leader had been in a bad mood. So he had thrown a bottle of sake at his face and it shattered on the left side of his head._

_Now he watched as Asato disappeared around the corner and a blue ball bounced to his feet. His gaze went up to the young boy who was watching him solemnly. His blue eyes so much like the man he had admired so much and betrayed his trust for Orochimaru._

_"Forgive me." Kakashi whispered as he reached out to the innocent toddler boy. "Orochimaru requested for you."_

_"Kakashi! What are you doing?" _

_His concentration was once again broken as his best friend, Uchiha Obito walked up to him. "Your eye…" He reached out but Kakashi slapped his hand away._

_Hiding his hurt expression, Obito bent down to pick up the ball at Kakashi's feet. "Naru-chan, your Okaasan is calling." Obito said, reaching out for the little boy. _

_"What are you doing?" Kakashi snapped. "He's mine!"_

_"What?" Obito started. _

_"Orochimaru wants me to take him to him!" Kakashi snarled, lunging forward._

_"Your eye, Kakashi." Obito stared as Kakashi's hand slipped. "Can it ever be saved?"_

_"Don't act like you care, Uchiha! You are a Ryuujin! An enemy to Shinja and our leader!" Kakashi yelled. He had attacked Obito and everything became a blur after that._

_But when he came to, he was lying in a bed with soft pillows and a warm blanket. His head had been wrapped with heavy gauze and bandages. Asato had walked in with his son hand in hand._

_"His gift to you." Asato said, solemnly._

_Kakashi didn't understand the mirror that sat at his bedside table. Not until the day the bandages came off and staring back at him was one crimson red eye._

_A gift from Uchiha Obito._

---

_Thump. _They looked up to see Naruto at the head of the stairs with tears chorusing down his face.

"Naruto! You should be resting!" Haku gasped as he jumped up.

Naruto choked back a sob and closed his eyes.

"To die with eyes of red is to die with a broken heart." Naruto whispered. "Itachi died with his eyes red."

_"The eyes are the windows of the soul. Red is the color of the soul bleeding."_

---

TBC….XO I know this chapter sucks and it's short… The next chapter will be much better… This has just been sitting on my comp for far too long. R/R, comments, flames, food most happily welcomed! This was unedited so please don't shoot me.


	16. History Lesson

**Title: **Admit Defeat

**Author: **Kisu

**Rating: PG? **For…blood. XD

**Pairings: **none major ones in this chapter

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait…I got sidetracked on the world of life. (coughs)

**Disclaimer**: Naruto and Co. belongs to Kishimoto-sama I do not earn any profit from..writing this.

**_Chapter 16: History Lesson_**

**_Listen carefully to this story I will tell you._**

**_It is important to you in the future._**

**_Otousan once told me this story._**

**_And you must pass it on to the next generation._**

**_This is of the essence of Konoha._**

* * *

_"Naruto."_

_He would recognize his voice anywhere. It had a richness that made it seemed like his name rolled off his tongue like sweet honey. He remembered the same voice that lulled him to sleep with stories. It was also the same voice that comforted him when he was hurt or scared._

_Now he refused to turn around. It was because Itachi was dead and the dead can't talk._

_Or can it?_

_"Itachi-nii." He said, hoarsely as his heart quickened its pace. He turned around slowly, his eyes clenched tight as he faced the source of the voice. He opened his eyes slowly and stared at the figure before him._

_Itachi's eyes were blood red._

_"Naruto, it's cold here." Itachi shivered and wrapped his arms around his torso. "It's also lonely. I don't have you or Sasuke."_

_"Itachi-nii." Naruto repeated as he stared at the man in shock. The man, his adopted older brother had never shown any weakness in his entire life. Was death this bad?_

_"Help me, Naruto." Itachi pleaded. "I need you here. Are you going to stay with me?"_

_"Itachi-nii." He blinked stupidly and Itachi lunged forward. Crimson liquid welled up from Itachi's blood red eyes and streamed down his pale cheeks. _

* * *

His eyes shot open and he inhaled sharply. Quickly scanning his surroundings, he forced himself to relax and tiredly draped an arm across his eyes. 

That was right. He was in a car and they were heading to his godfather's house.

"Are you okay?" A voice to his right asked softly. He gave a slight nod in response and he heard the person sigh. Slender fingers slid through his hair and cupped his head. Another touched his shoulder and he was guided to a lap.

"Are we there yet?" He asked.

"Almost." Strands like silk tickled his face and he slowly lifted his arm to stare at the curious brown eyes that stared down at him. He grabbed a lock of hair and examined it.

"You have really nice hair." He commented. Haku laughed and Naruto let go at the sound of Zabuza's voice.

"We're here. I don't know why someone would live all the way away from civilization." Zabuza complained.

"He's an author and likes his privacy." Kakashi replied. "But he takes many trips for his research."

"I wonder what kind of research." Zabuza said, dryly. Kakashi cleared his throat and turned around to glance at them.

"I see you two have been busy." He commented. Naruto glared at him while Zabuza gave Kakashi a good whack in the head.

"Go hang yourself." Naruto said coolly as he gave Haku's hair a tug before sitting up and reaching for the latch on the door.

"My pupil is so mean to me!" Kakashi cried.

"You deserve it." Haku said as he exited the car and shut the door behind him.

* * *

Once outside, Naruto inhaled deeply and stretched. The knots and kinks in his muscles loosened as he experimentally flexed his arms. "The air is good here." He said as he looked around. 

"Come on." Kakashi gestured as he turned to walk toward the house. He pulled the rope at the door and very soon, the door slid open. They stared at the man in surprise and the man stared back. "Yo Ebisu." The man crossed his arms and opened the door wider, revealing the inside of a dark house. The man had on dark sunglasses, a black bandana and clothes equally dark.

"Kakashi, you are back with guests." Ebisu greeted the silver haired professor.

"Yes. Your boss is expecting us." Kakashi beamed. Ebisu nodded and gestured for them to walk in. They took a minute to focus in the dark house and Naruto raised an eyebrow. The Japanese-styled was house divided into three small rooms. But what was really strange was that there was so furniture. It was clean and spotless but it seemed like nobody lived here.

"Please take off your shoes and put on these slippers." Ebisu said. They did so quietly and when they were finished Ebisu gestured for them to follow him. They walked straight to the other end of the house where Ebisu reached out and slid open double doors. They blinked as bright sunlight filtered into the house.

Ebisu simply walked out while they stood there in a daze in an attempt to come back to their senses. When they did, they gawked at their new surroundings.

They were facing a courtyard with a very large koi pond and it was the interior of a Japanese mansion. Ebisu flagged down a servant that was rushing down corridor in an errand. He took the armful of scrolls from the servant. "Take Jiraiya-sama's guests to the reception room. I will inform him that you are here."

"Thank you." Kakashi smiled.

"Hai!" The servant gestured for them to follow him. "Ah! It is very good to see you again Hatake-san!"

"You seem to know this place rather well Kakashi." Zabuza said, grimly.

"Hai! Hatake-san is a regular here." The servant said happily.

They all stared suspiciously at the professor.

* * *

"Jiraiya-sama! You have guests!" 

The man looked up slowly. He was dressed in a traditional Japanese brown yukata. Despite his age, his body was well toned and it showed as his chest was revealed slightly from his lazily tied attire. With flourish as the well named novelist he was, he reached up and took off his reading glasses.

Ebisu smiled nervously at this because no matter how hard he tried to keep his eyes focused on the man in front of him, the environment he was in was absolutely erotic.

Especially since the great novelist, Jiraiya had an interesting hobby of writing trashy romance novels and collecting data—or porn so to speak.

The walls of the study screamed 'SEX' in bold red letters of females, scantily dressed on gleaming posters.

_Drip. Drip._

His boss stared at him with criticizing black eyes as he slowly grabbed a tissue and handed it over to his employee.

"Oh, my apologies sir!" The man babbled as he quickly accepted the tissue and held it to his nose.

"Who is it? It better not be Hatake. My next edition of Icha Icha Paradise will not be out until next month." Jiraiya said as he leaned back in his leather chair. Folding his hands on his desk, he eyed Ebisu.

"It's a party of four, sir. Kakashi brought two men wearing business suits and a younger man with blonde hair." Ebisu informed him.

Jiraiya shot to his feet.

_Arashi's son?_

* * *

Quickly, he rushed out the door of his office. Ebisu ran after him, trying to keep the tissue to his bloody nose. Turning quickly toward the wing where the reception room was located, he rushed down the hall, slid open the doors with a loud clack and landed on his vacant cushion with a mighty yell. His guests stared at him blankly and a servant rushed in to begin depositing tea and snacks. 

With an almost majestic attitude, Jiraiya slowly raised his head up and calmly opened his eyes. The man who sat across from him at the other end of the table regarded him in curiosity. Kakashi sat on his right and two other people sat on the other side. Ebisu rushed in and took the vacant seat next to Kakashi while trying to catch his breath.

"Yo." Kakashi saluted him. Jiraiya nodded a greeting to him and took a deep breath before leaping over the table to the unsuspecting blonde. Haku narrowed his eyes and delivered a strong kick so that Jiraiya flew back. The man did a somersault in the air before landing on a foot and leaping toward Haku. There was a flash of metal as Jiraiya easily avoided the senbon that embedded into the wall behind him.

"Jiraiya-sama." Ebisu laughed nervously. "This is not how you greet your guests."

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Naruto asked as he watched the fight in interest. Kakashi shook his head.

"This is his way of saying hello." He replied as he leaned to the side. A couple senbon flew past him. "How many of those damn things does he have up his sleeve?"

"He hasn't gotten serious yet." Zabuza said as he closed his eyes.

"Hey, watch it! It's interesting!" Naruto said, poking Zabuza in the side. Zabuza shrugged uninterestedly.

"This will come to an end." Haku spoke up. He released a shower of senbons onto Jiraiya as the old man somersaulted randomly around the room. One of them managed to snag his robe and damage the cotton fabric.

"Okay. Okay." Jiraiya said as he landed back into his seat. "You have an excellent bodyguard, brat. No wonder you're still alive." Naruto narrowed his eyes and Jiraiya chuckled. "No need to mug me, kid. Damn you look so much like your old man."

"Now I know why your name sounds familiar." Naruto spoke up. "You write porn in a book. Kakashi read them in class all the time."

"It's not porn!" Kakashi protested.

"Hey, hey kid." Jiraiya frowned. "It's called art."

"You are a horrible role model." Haku stated. "I should have killed you off."

"Kill off your host?" Jiraiya gasped in mock terror.

"You're not much of a host either." Haku replied with a sniff.

"Che, you've got such a pretty face but such a dirty mouth." Jiraiya grinned. "How about you and me get together later? You can help me in my research." The old man blinked as Zabuza suddenly held an unsheathed katana right between his eyes.

"Don't think about it." He told him. Jiraiya raised his hands in surrender as Zabuza slowly withdrew the blade and sheathed it. Then it disappeared underneath his clothes as fast as it had appeared.

"What an uptight bunch." Jiraiya muttered.

"Enough already, I want to know why I'm here." Naruto said, tiredly. "You're my godfather right?"

"I am." Jiraiya nodded. "But since Arashi died, I don't see why I have to keep a secret that have been harbored so long."

"Secret?" Naruto repeated.

"I am actually your grandfather." Jiraiya announced. The cup of tea in Naruto's hand cracked and Jiraiya stared with interest as Naruto carefully placed it back on the table.

"How does that work?" Kakashi asked as he turned to look at the old man.

"Arashi was my son." Jiraiya said carefully. "He never knew me as his father but as a teacher. I was his mentor and I taught him everything in fighting, leadership, and the morals needed to be a strong head in a clan. He suppressed my level and I decided it was time to leave. By the time I heard of your birth, the Uzumaki Clan had been taken over by Orochimaru's gang and Orochimaru had announced you to be his heir."

"Why didn't you tell him that you were his father?" Naruto asked, curiously.

"It is all because of your grandmother and her status." Jiraiya said. "She was a prestigious daughter and I was just a writer. Or better yet we just had a short term fling and she got pregnant."

* * *

"I see." Naruto frowned. 

"Well." Jiraiya smirked. "Your bloodline is very complicated. Since your lineage extends way back to one of the great clans that founded Konoha. The three oldest clans are the Hokage Clan, the Hyuuga Clan, and the Uchiha Clan. 'Gang' is just a relative term to bond together groups of clans and clans would group together to keep order. It is also another way to extend power. You already know the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan went under the Ryuujin name, the Hokage Clan did not establish into a gang. It has been independent for a long time."

"I've never heard of the Hokage Clan." Naruto said.

"Of course not, Brat." Jiraiya laughed. "It's older than your generation. I guess you can call it an underground clan, since it seems to not have stirred in ages. But the Hokage Clan was created by your great great grandfather and your great great uncle. Your great great grandfather was Japanese and he married a Celtic princess. Your great great grandmother belonged to a clan of her own, which was known as the Hime Clan. The Hime Clan only allowed women leaders."

"That explains your phenotype." Haku said quietly as he touched Naruto's shoulder.

"Right." Jiraiya nodded. "Your great grandmother's brother was the one who branched off from the Hime Clan and created the Uzumaki Clan. So basically in summary, your bloodline extends from three Clans; the main Hokage Clan and the two branch clans, Hime and Uzumaki."

"So that's what happened." Kakashi said thoughtfully as he tapped the table.

"Your grandmother gave your father to her uncle in order for him to have a successor to the Uzumaki Clan. It was also the only way she could keep him and not bring shame to her family." Jiraiya finished. "But it is a mystery how a branch of the old clan went under Orochimaru's influence."

"Do you still keep in contact with grandmother?" Naruto asked.

"Of course." Jiraiya grinned as he bared his teeth ferally. "She is the leader of our gang."

"And what gang is that?" Kakashi asked in interest.

"Shinzui."

All of their eyes widened at Jiraiya's answer.

* * *

**_Listen carefully Naruto. Of a story I will tell you._**

**_The strongest clan lurks in the shadows._**

**_It is the true essence of Konoha._**

**_No one has seen them but only their name has been whispered through alleys._**

**_Speaking their name is to conjure their presence._**

**_They are called the Shinzui._**

* * *

TBC 

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. XD I will start making a list of the clans/groups under the name of the gang they are in. Also, you see Japanese suffixes and language because some characters are Japanese in the story. Like Jiraiya and Sasuke. (SenbonHaku's needle-like weapon)

**_Shinja: sacred snake_**

Uzumaki

Sound

**_Ryuujin: dragon god/king_**

Uchiha

Hyuuga

Inuzuka

Haruno

Nara

Aburame

Akimichi

**_Shinzui: essence/spirit/soul_**

Sarutobi

Hime

Uzumaki

Hokage


	17. Fated Meeting

A/N: I have a strange urge to write fics before major midterms and finals… I wonder why. After I have completed this fic, I will be sure to do a rewrite because all these chapters aren't edited and there are major mistakes in every one of them. So..bear with me! P.S. Trying a different format!

Disclaimer: Naruto is licensed to…whoever bought it because I'm dead broke right now.

Ookami Kage: Air? Oo I went to download it because is sounded interesting! But I haven't been watching until you spoke of it. Thanks for the review! GaOu!

:Admit Defeat:

Chapter Seventeen – Fated Meeting

"Shinzui."

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at the novelist at the head of the table.

"It can't be." Naruto finally whispered when he dared to breathe again. He gripped the edge of the table and felt the satisfaction of his nails digging into the polish wood.

"Shinzui." Haku said in quiet voice. "I thought it was just a child's tale."

"It is a tale told to children." Jiraiya said, looking amused. "But yes, Shinzui does exist."

"What is the name of my grandmother?" Naruto asked finally. He has realized throughout Jiraiya's story telling, there had been no mention of her name, except of his father.

Jiraiya placed a finger on his lips. "It's a secret. But I'm sure you have had fated meetings with her."

"What kind of answer is that?" Naruto asked as he slammed his hands onto the table. The table shook from the force and threatened to collapse. Jiraiya nodded in satisfaction as he took in this outburst.

"Just like your grandmother." Jiraiya laughed. "I'll tell you brat. Your grandmother is a powerful woman. If her name is freely given out, Shinzui can collapse. Do you understand?"

"Shinzui is a mysterious force that has operated underground since the beginning of Konoha." Zabuza spoke up. "If the name of the leader is found out, the whole chain could collapse. It must own a lot of businesses in its divisions."

"Can…I meet her?" Naruto said, hesitantly.

Jiraiya picked up his cup of tea and brought it to his lips. "She will find you when the time is right."

"Well that was fun." Kakashi said brightly as they exited the hermit's house. The man had practically kicked them out when they had finished their meeting.

"I should have killed him." Haku muttered as Zabuza patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"I am sure Jiraiya-sama has reports to file, since he is a major clan leader." Kakashi explained as they walked over to their car.

"What clan is that?" Naruto asked as he slid into the leather seat in the back. He picked up his cell phone and turned it on.

"It is called Gamabunta and he is one of the three Sannin. " Kakashi said.

"Sannin?" Haku repeated as he closed the door behind him. Kakashi waited until Zabuza got in his seat and turned around to look at them.

"One of the legendary three fighters that is strong in mind, spirit, and body. Orochimaru, your grandmother and your grandfather are the three." Kakashi said. "There is no doubt that Orochimaru knows your grandmother, since they had grown up in the same gang. But he does not know Arashi was her son. But you are a valuable asset since you are the Uzumaki heir."

"I see." Haku nodded as he glanced over at Naruto. With a start, he placed a hand on his younger friend's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Naruto had been listening attentively to his voice mail messages. Now, his complexion had paled and his grip slackened so his cell phone fell onto his lap. "No. No. No." He moaned as he buried his face in his hands. Gripping his hair, he tugged it viciously and let out a half-hearted growl.

"Naruto?" Haku tried again.

"Sasuke's gone to Orochimaru."

* * *

"Calm down Sakura!" Tenten said desperately.

"I couldn't stop him!" Sakura sobbed. "He left! He went to Orochimaru!"

"Why in the name of hell would he do that?" Kiba asked as Akamaru whined in agreement.

"He said something about having power and finding out where Naruto was." Sakura continued. "I wasn't strong enough to stop him! Why am I so weak?"

Tenten narrowed her eyes and slapped the girl sharply.

"Don't say such things about yourself." Tenten snapped. "No one will pity you if you are weak. You are strong."

"I called Naruto but his cell phone was off. But that was a day ago." Sakura whispered as her eyes glazed over. "Where the hell is that idiot when you need him? Has he abandoned us? He probably is with Orochimaru, letting him screw him like the stupid fuck toy he is!"

"SAKURA!" Neji thundered. "Do you understand what you are saying?"

"That was wrong Sakura." Hinata said, quietly. "Naruto isn't like that."

"You are delusional right now, so I will let this slide. Or there would be a severe punishment from your actions." Neji said. "You know that Naruto is better than that, he treats like you are family. Hell, you are family."

"Ryuujin's family." Chouji nodded in agreement, he had abandoned his chips and was now sitting mournfully next to Shikamaru.

The doorbell rang and Marie went to open the door.

"Young master! You are back!" They heard from the foyer. Sakura leaped up and made a mad dash to the front of the house.

"Sasuke?" She asked, hopefully.

"No." Naruto turned around and shrugged off his cloak, giving it to one of the maids. Haku and Zabuza did the same.

"Naruto!" Sakura sobbed and threw her arms around him. "I'm sorry. So sorry."

"Calm down." Naruto said as he led her slowly back to the den. "You're all here. Good."

"Naruto!" Neji gasped. There was a bombard of greetings and questions, but they fell silent at Naruto's gesture for silence. Akamaru let out a short bark and a suspicious sniff at the two men behind him. Naruto gestured for them to sit down.

"I have been away, searching for my past." Naruto told them. "To those who haven't formally met, this is Zabuza and Haku. They have been long time friends of mine and are currently my appointed bodyguards." Kiba let out an amused chuckle and Naruto clasped his hands together. They glanced at the ring on his finger and they stared at him hopefully.

"Orochimaru should be sending a note to me soon. If indeed, Sasuke went to Orochimaru. I am sure he is being held hostage." Naruto continued. "My clan name, Uzumaki has a tragic past. My father was in debt to Orochimaru and he wanted it paid back in blood. Sasuke's blood."

"What?" Sakura stared at him.

"But I couldn't do it." Naruto said, wincing as his voice cracked from pent up emotions. "But I'm sure he wants to posses me in anyway possible. If I go to him, Sasuke will be the exchange."

"Why does he want you so much?" Shikamaru spoke up.

"I am not human." Naruto said as he raised his head up. He calmly stared out at them and he watched as their eyes widened. Haku placed a hand on his shoulder and Naruto watched as Kiba broke out into a fit of laughter.

"You got to be joking." He managed. "What kind of excuse it that?" Shikamaru whacked him in the side of the head and Kiba growled, nursing his cranium.

"I was genetically engineered, just like Gaara. We are brothers in a way." Naruto continued. "Orochimaru wanted us to be his tools to take over Konoha. Our genes were altered and we were inserted into our mother's wombs. My mother survived after my birth but Gaara's died."

"Oh no." Hinata whispered, quietly.

"That is why we are the 'demons', because in fact we are monsters." Naruto finished his last sentence and stood up. "I'm tired so I'm going to turn in. You all should too. If you want to stay, feel free to."

Their speculating gazes watched as Naruto walked up the stairs followed by Zabuza and Haku. They waited until they heard a door open and close before breathing again.

"Wow." Chouji managed as Neji closed his eyes. "I wouldn't have ever given it a thought that Naruto is…"

"Don't say it." Hinata frowned. "He's Naruto and that's all that matters. He's always been a human and he'll stay that way."

"I have had an idea at the start." Shikamaru commented lightly. "Naruto has always been special."

"Should it matter that he is different?" Tenten asked, softly.

"No." Sakura whispered as she buried her face in her hands. "It shouldn't matter at all."

* * *

Naruto stayed in Sasuke's study that night. He stretched out onto the fur rug in front of the fireplace and Zabuza sat in one of the two armchairs. Haku would alternate from an armchair to the window before sitting back down again.

Currently Naruto had been in a light doze, his head resting on folded arms. A gentle hand buried itself into his hair and he cracked an eye open. "Mn?"

"You should go to bed, Naruto. It's been a long day." Haku scolded.

"I want to stay here." Naruto replied as he shifted. "I have good memories in this room."

"Naruto, you sound like you are going to never come back here." Haku frowned. Naruto just smiled slightly before closing his eyes. Haku sighed and turned his head to glare at his companion. Zabuza raised an eyebrow as Haku in Naruto's direction. Zabuza sighed before shifting his armchair.

"Naruto…" Zabuza began. He cleared his throat and coughed nervously. "Kit…" He tried again using a pet name that he hadn't used in a long time.

"Won't you two stand by me?" Naruto interrupted them quietly. "I have made my decision so please support me."

"Aa. We do support you Naruto but it is a big risk." Zabuza continued.

"I won't leave Sasuke in his hands; you know what Orochimaru is capable of." Naruto replied. "I will depart once Orochimaru gets in contact with me. When Sasuke returns, find Jiraiya and make sure he contacts my grandmother. I'm sure she already has a plan."

"And if she doesn't?" Haku asked.

"Then you will assist Sasuke to storm the Shinja headquarters and take it over." Naruto told him. "Leave Orochimaru up to me."

"Naruto!" Haku jumped to his feet. "Are you crazy? You know what kind of effect he has on you!"

"I can handle this, Haku." Naruto responded, patiently.

"Zabuza!" Haku protested as he eyed the taller man. Zabuza sighed and tilted his head back, calmly closing his eyes. Haku narrowed his eyes and finally nodded slowly. "I trust you, Naruto. But please be careful."

"I will." Naruto promised.

* * *

It was the crack of dawn and no one was awake in the household, save for the kitchen cook who had begun to start breakfast. The shrill ring of his cell phone jolted Naruto from an uneasy sleep he had been in. Haku and Zabuza stirred as Naruto slowly reached into his pocket and withdrew the damn noisy thing.

"Hello?" He mumbled.

"Good morning, dear Naruto." Came a cheerful reply.

The blood in his veins ran cold and he slowly sat up. Keeping his voice steady, he cleared his throat. "You woke me up Snake-bastard." He said.

"My sincere apologies for disturbing your beauty sleep." The man on the other line chuckled. "I had a visitor the other day, and he is very close to you."

"Oh?" Naruto said, calmly even though his heartbeat had quickened dramatically. "Do enlighten me."

"Naruto!" Sasuke's frantic voice came over the line. "Naruto! Don't you dare listen to him! No matter what you do, don't attempt any heroics!"

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled. "You bastard!"

"If Ryuujin wants their leader back, I want you in his place. Do not attempt any rescue mission, or I will slit his throat in front of you." Orochimaru said, coolly. "You may bring no more than two people to validate the exchange."

"You fuckened bastard!" Naruto snapped.

"Now Naruto, I advise you to mind your tone. Your dear _brother_ is still in my friends if you haven't forgotten." The Shinja leader said, silkily. "We will meet for the exchange at the piers in 2 hrs. If I don't see you, I will slit Sasuke's throat and throw him in the ocean for the fishes."

The call ended and Naruto shot to his feet. With a furious yell, he threw his cell phone against the wall and watched as it shattered in plastic bits and pieces.

"Orochimaru." Naruto whispered. "If you hurt him, I won't forgive you!"

* * *

Not even ten minutes later, the main group of the Ryuujin had gathered in the den. Those who hadn't woken up at Naruto's furious yell had woken up when Naruto had slammed the study's door open.

"I have made a decision." Naruto said calmly as he raked a hand through his disheveled hair. "I will meet Orochimaru in less than two hours and we will make an exchange for Sasuke."

"What will be our exchange?" Sakura asked, shakily.

"Me." Naruto said, evenly.

"No!" Hinata cried out as she jumped out of her seat. "You can't do that!"

"There is no fuckening way…" Neji began.

"I am going to raise hell if you…" Shikamaru said at the same time.

"Over my dead body!" Kiba yelled. "Naruto you selfish bastard, what the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Naruto, please reconsider!" Tenten gasped.

"Enough!" Naruto roared angrily, silencing whoever else wanted to object. "The well-being of Ryuujin comes first. We are more than a gang, we are an organization of powerful clan members and we aim to protect the public at any cost." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Haku and Zabuza will go with me for the exchange. They will bring Sasuke back safely." Naruto continued, ignoring their angry glares and desperate pleading eyes. "When I am with Orochimaru, help Sasuke devise a plan to storm Shinja headquarters and collect forces."

"Wait Naruto, if it wasn't Sasuke, would you still go?" Chouji asked quietly.

"Sasuke is more than just a leader to Ryuujin. He keeps the bond between the clans and is the strength behind our organization." Naruto replied evenly. "If the head should die, the bond will immediately fall into chaos."

"Naruto, you are also our head." Shino spoke up. "If Sasuke should die, you will immediately become the next head." Naruto fell silent and buried his head in his hands. After a moment of silence, Naruto slowly got up on his feet.

"I am not an Uchiha." He said, calmly as he exited the room. Haku and Zabuza turned to follow him but Sakura jumped to her feet.

"You two! Aren't you supposed to be bodyguards?" She asked, angrily. "Why don't you stop him?" Haku stiffened and stopped in his tracks before walking briskly out of the room.

"We are his bodyguards." Zabuza said. "But we are also his friends and we will support him. Why won't you?" Then he also walked out and left the room eerily quiet to its occupants.

Sakura let out a sob before collapsing back onto the couch.

* * *

It was bitterly cold that morning and it didn't help that they stood at the piers with the harsh wind blowing in their faces. They had arrived an hour early and Naruto had taken the time to stand before the ocean, contemplating his thoughts.

"It is almost time." Zabuza said as he glanced at his watch.

"_Do not worry about my safety when you storm Shinja. If I have become an enemy, do not hesitate to kill me."_

_"Naruto! Please be careful!" Sakura cried as she hung onto him. "I don't want to lose you or Sasuke!"_

_"Naruto, we appreciate your sacrifice." Hinata said, knowingly. She had placed a hand on his shoulder and Naruto had regarded her strangely for a moment before nodding back._

_"Naruto." Neji had stepped up to him. "Keep safe."_

He stretched his arms high about his head and breathed in the saltiness of the ocean breeze. Each breath he took, each step he walked was a memory. Slowly he raised his hand to his lips and bit his finger, deep enough for it to well up a small spot of blood.

"Kenji. Itachi. Have I become a strong man now?" He asked, quietly while offering his hand out.

The rumble of a car engine interrupted the silence of the piers as it pulled up.

"Naruto!"

He could faintly hear Sasuke's voice and he turned; the melody of the ocean in his ears.

Kin and another man with shoulder-length white hair watched them from beside the car.

"We will make the exchange now." Naruto said calmly as he walked forward steadily. Kin gave Sasuke a push and Sasuke growled before falling into a slow walk. They studied each other as they neared and Naruto smirked slightly at the sight of his foster brother's bruised lip.

He raised his hand with the bitten thumb and slowly brought it up below his eye. He dragged his thumb down the side of his face, repeating the same procedure to the other side. Sasuke looked startled at the blood markings as they passed each other.

It was as if he was crying blood.

When they reached the other side, Kin had opened the car door for Naruto and the man with white hair had walked over to the other side of the car. Naruto's eyes never left Sasuke's ebony depths as he ducked into the vehicle.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled again. He looked angry and his expression was desperate.

Finally Naruto tore his gaze away and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the headrest on the back of his seat. The car drove away.

_I won't ever let you cry, Sasuke._

_TBC_


	18. The Snake's Lair

**Title:** Admit Defeat

**Author:** Kisu

**Rating:** R

A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! XD I am finally winding down in an accomplishment of finishing this fic. I am officially announcing that it should end in two more chapters! Hurray!

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. But I do own a very cute Gaara plushie! X3

Warnings: ORONARU…yes you read it right…a lot of mentioning in the last few chappies…and it's unbeta-ed

Admit Defeat

_Chapter Eighteen: The Snake's Lair_

Sasuke's presence was announced by the sound of the door slamming shut and heavy footsteps that made its way toward the den. If their leader had seen them, he had paid no heed but grabbed the nearest object and hurled it onto the floor.

Unfortunately, it was a priceless vase.

There was a moment of silence as Sasuke glared hard at the mess on the floor before stalking through the house. Ryuujin's members winced every time they heard something crash onto the floor or slammed against the wall.

The maids scurried about, grabbing brooms and dustpans to clean up the mess. When Sasuke noticed their activity, he stopped and glared at them. "Don't touch that!" He scowled. "No one is allowed to pick up my mess."

Startled, the maids meekly obeyed and slowly inched back until their backs were against the wall. Marie patted their backs in a comforting gesture as she watched the young master with sympathy.

Grumbling under his breath he dropped down on his knees and began picking up pieces of porcelain. Wincing as he cut his finger, he automatically placed the injured digit in his mouth, narrowing his eyes at the intrusion of the metallic taste.

"Sasuke." Sakura had approached him when he was distracted. "Let me help you with that."

"Get away." Sasuke growled as he resumed picking up the pieces.

"Sasuke…about Naruto…" Sakura began again.

"Go away, Sakura." Sasuke said, coldly. Sakura winced and walked back a few steps.

_"Sasuke!__ Let me help you with that!"_

_"Naruto, let Sasuke clean up his own mess."_

_"But…"_

_"It's okay, Naruto."_

He cursed and curled his fingers around the sharp porcelain, ignoring the pain as it cut into the palm of his hands. He slammed his fist down onto the wooden floor. A few pieces of porcelain jumped slightly and he uttered a sound between a sob and a growl.

"Naruto." He whispered, softly. "When I need you the most..."

"Sasuke." Hinata stood quietly next to him and touched his shoulder. He blinked, looking up to see the Hyuuga heir staring down at him with warm eyes. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"Eh?" Sasuke frowned. Hinata dropped down onto her knees next to him and gently grasped his hands, peeling away the fingers and revealing the bloody porcelain shards stuck in his flesh. "I'm bleeding."

"Right, let's go bandage you up." Hinata smiled as she helped him up. Wordlessly, they walked toward the door, followed by Neji.

"Hinata?" Kiba asked, curiously.

"It's all right. We will be back soon." Hinata said as she closed the door behind them.

* * *

Naruto had lost track of time since he had entered the vehicle. The blood stains on his cheeks had long dried and were crusted onto his skin. Halfway through the trip, the man with long white hair had tied a blindfold around his head. 

"Orochimaru has instructed us to do so." The man had quietly explained. Naruto had never seen him before but he could tell that the man was strong and a devoted follower of Shinja. He had a pale complexion, almost paler than Sasuke's and wore red eyeliner underneath his eyes.

Their trip was silent and as if the tension in the air wasn't enough, Kin had to pop her gum every few seconds. This greatly irritated the man who sat next to him and he had quietly threatened to strangle her. The man's name was Kimimaro and he held a higher position than Kin did. However, Kin had promoted herself in status just because Orochimaru relied so much on her for errands.

Hands gently untied the blindfold around his eyes after the car had come to a final stop. Naruto sat still in his seat and after a moment, slowly opened his eyes. They were here, Shinja headquarters and Orochimaru's residence.

"The Boss is expecting you." Kin said as she turned around in the passenger seat. "Kimimaro, take him to see him."

The man who had untied his blindfold said nothing but stared at Naruto was passive eyes. Kin smirked before tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Don't fall in love with him. I'm sure Orochimaru wouldn't like that." She commented, lightly. A hand landed on her shoulder and she jumped as Naruto leaned in, brushing his lips against her ear.

"Let's get to know each other while we are here." He murmured, stirring the stray hairs by her ear. Kin winced as his grip tightened and a cold chill ran down her back. "I'll make sure we'll have plenty of quality time."

Then he exited the car and shut the door behind him.

Kin shivered as Naruto walked past her window and to the mansion beyond.

There had been a killer's intent in those eyes.

* * *

He followed Kimimaro wordlessly down the dark hallways, confidence in his steps. His eyes retained a frosty blue color, darkening as they walked deeper into the mansion. 

"I've heard great things about you, Uzumaki Naruto." Kimimaro said, quietly. Naruto stared straight forward, not even bothering on a response. When Kimimaro stopped to look back at him, Naruto passed him slowly.

"Then all of them must be lies." Naruto finally said as Kimimaro fell in step with him. They approached grand double doors and Kimimaro knocked once.

"You killed Kabuto." Kimimaro commented.

"I did." Naruto replied as Kimimaro pushed the doors open. Orochimaru sat in a chair, elevated off the floor by three steps. Candles eerily flickered about the room, illuminating Orochimaru's face in a sinisterly way.

"Orochimaru-sama." Kimimaro stepped forward and bowed.

"So, Naruto." Orochimaru smiled. "You came." He nodded at Kimimaro. "You can go." Kimimaro bowed again and stepped backwards, eyeing the floor as he went. When he was finally outside the door, he looked up grabbing the handles on the doors.

As he closed the doors, his eyes met the eyes the blonde who was watching him, emotionlessly. Orochimaru had gotten up and had approached Naruto, arms snaking around the man's slender body. But Naruto paid no attention, his gaze still locked with his.

Kimimaro closed the doors and there was an audible click that echoed throughout the halls. He breathed out shakily and realized that it was then that he could exhale.

* * *

Hinata had finished picking out the pieces of porcelain lodged in his skin. Now she was carefully bandaging them. Neji sat in a corner chair, eyes closed and head against the wall. Sasuke was staring out the window, oblivious to Hinata's care. 

"Sasuke." Hinata spoke up. "The director of the hospital has requested to see you."

"Director?" Sasuke shifted

"Hai." Hinata said. As she gathered her supplies in a tray and walked to the door. "Follow me, please." Neji got up and glanced at his cousin curiously. They followed the head nurse out the door and down the hallway. Hinata gave her tray to one of the other nurses before walking to the elevator. When they got into it, Hinata waited for the doors to close before inserting a key into panel. They watched her as she selected the button for the fifth floor.

"What is this about?" Neji asked curiously as the doors opened onto the fifth floor. Hinata removed her key and smiled.

"You'll see." Hinata replied as they walked down the hall.

"Is this a restricted area?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

"Hai. It's the morgue." Hinata told them. Neji and Sasuke stopped in their tracks and Hinata laughed. "I'm just kidding. We're here." She inserted her card into the box beside the door and there was a click as she was allowed access.

"Director, I've brought Sasuke-sama." Hinata called out as she opened the door slowly. She gestured for Neji and Sasuke to walk in. She closed the door behind them and a faint light flared to life, illuminating the room softly.

Another woman was in the room, she smiled at them kindly before nudging the person in a large desk chair. The chair swiveled around and they found themselves staring at the woman before them.

"Dr. Tsunade?" Neji was clearly confused now. He had seen the woman many times when he came to visit Hinata at the hospital. Hinata walked over and stood on the doctor's left hand side.

"This is the first time we have met, Mr. Uchiha." The woman named Tsunade greeted him. "I want to thank you for keeping an eye on my grandson through these years."

"What?" Sasuke stated dumbly.

"Naruto is just like his father, headstrong, stubborn, and brilliant." Tsunade continued as her brown eyes softened slightly. "I am just unfortunate to not to have seen either of them grow up."

"Hinata…" Neji began with a frown.

"Listen to her." Hinata interrupted softly. "She has many important things left to say."

"Yes, thank you." Tsunade smiled. "Uchiha Sasuke, I hope Ryuujin will join forces with my division."

"What is your gang?" Sasuke asked, quietly.

"I lead the Shinzui."

"Shinzui?" Sasuke repeated, his eyes widening. "But that is a legend!"

"It is more than a legend." Tsunade told him. "Shinzui is the largest gang with the oldest clans of Konoha."

"I have heard of Shinzui." Neji spoke up. "The two main clans are Hokage and Hime, correct?"

"That is right," Hinata replied. "Hokage is the oldest clan in Konoha with its two branch clans."

"What is the other one?" Sasuke asked.

"Uzumaki." Hinata said, gently. Neji and Naruto froze, eyes widening slightly. "But it is no more, since the whole clan was massacred."

"Except for Naruto," Tsunade nodded, grimly. "My right hand is Shizune who is currently the head of the Hime Clan." Tsunade gestured to the woman on her right. "And I am currently the head of the Hokage Clan."

"Hinata, what is your role?" Neji asked, curiously.

"As heir to the Hyuuga Clan and a female, I have entrusted my power to Shinzui." Hinata explained. "That is why I have never actively participated in Ryuujin.

"We have to work quickly and gather forces." Shizune said. "Orochimaru is on the move and is developing an army as we speak."

"Is Naruto in any danger?" Hinata asked, worriedly. Tsunade patted her arm.

"Not yet. But if he is like my son, he will do what he thinks is best." Tsunade replied. Sasuke felt the world spin and he reached out blindly to grab something to support him. Neji quickly grasped his arm and Sasuke leaned heavily onto him.

"Naruto…is like that." Sasuke whispered. "He'll make any sacrifices that he thinks is best."

"Then, we will move quickly." Tsunade got out of his chair and walked toward the door. "Come with me."

* * *

"Is your brother that dear to you, Naruto?" Orochimaru asked as he planted kisses on the blonde's neck. "I don't know whether to thank him or pity the devotion that he doesn't deserve." 

"I came on my free will, Orochimaru-sama." Naruto replied, smoothly. Orochimaru paused and looked up at the blonde. "I figured you were the only person who can give me the power that I deserve."

"Oh?" Orochimaru laughed. "Do you think I will believe you?"

"I've been shunned by the Ryuujin Clans since I was young. They would laugh at me and talk as if I wasn't there." Naruto clenched his fists tightly. "I want to take them down. All of them for thinking ill of me!"

"There is a way to show your loyalty to me." Orochimaru said after a moment. "With your loyalty, there is much power that I can give you."

"I will do whatever you say, Orochimaru-sama." Naruto said, respectfully. Orochimaru smiled and raised a cold hand, gently caressing the face of the Kyuubi.

"I will give you a seal. It will enhance the capabilities that were entrusted to you before birth. The seal will awaken your altered DNA. Then, you will only serve only me." Orochimaru spoke up. One pale hand touched Naruto's neck before resting at his collarbone. "Are you willing to sell me your soul?"

Naruto met his gaze steadily.

"Yes."

* * *

There headquarters were indeed underground. Below the sewers was a civilization that strived to keep Konoha running. They ran the public facilities such as the hospitals and the schools. Women, Sasuke noted, was prominent in the clan. Most of who were devoted to serving Shinzui from the Hime Clan. 

"Hokage-sama, you have returned." A familiar voice greeted them and Sasuke looked up in surprise. Ino stood a few feet away from them, bowing respectfully.

"Yamanaka?" Sasuke blinked.

"Sasuke, it is nice to see you again. It's been a long time since we greeted each other like this." Ino smiled.

"Ino, how is your division going?" Shizune asked.

"It is right on schedule." Ino winked. "Hinata you will have to check in on your forces."

"I will do that now." Hinata smiled as she nodded to Tsunade and Shizune.

"Wait." Neji called out. "I'll come with you." With a pause he glanced at Sasuke and Sasuke nodded, giving him permission to leave.

"Hokage-sama! The board is waiting for your presence." A woman ran up to them and Tsunade nodded.

"Let's go." Tsunade gestured. Sasuke followed the blonde woman, noting the authority and power she radiated. But it was warm, like the sun on a cool spring day. She was the light that Shinzui protected.

This woman... Sasuke thought. Is truly amazing and she looks young too. Wait…isn't she Naruto's grandmother? How old is she really?

"Sasuke, how is Shikamaru doing?" Ino asked as she fell in step with him.

"He's lazy as always." Sasuke replied, flatly. Ino laughed and poked him.

"You've changed Sasuke." Ino commented. "You're more open now."

"Time changes everyone." Sasuke said, quietly. Ino nodded in agreement and they stopped to open a door. Filing in, they were greeted with a large meeting room with many people sitting at a large round table.

"A circle has no corners, Sasuke." Ino murmured.

There were a lot of faces that Sasuke was sure he had seen before but have never noticed anything particularly strange about them. They were all in their middle aged years, older and wiser than any of the new gangs that had appeared over the last decade.

"Uchiha?" Someone commented. "What is he doing here?" A hand touched his shoulder comfortingly and he looked over to see Hinata smiling at him. Neji nodded solemnly at him from next to her.

"He is my guest." Tsunade replied as she gestured for him to take a seat. Neji sat next to him as Hinata walked over to stand again by Tsunade's side. "We will make our move very soon. Shinja can not become more powerful than it already is. Mr. Uchiha, can you tell us of your experience with them?"

"Orochimaru is ruthless." Sasuke spoke up. "The one he sent to invade our headquarters was a man who had been shaped to look like him, act like him, and think like him. But we managed to get rid of his right hand, Kabuto."

"Kabuto was a very valuable asset to Shinja. I was surprised when I learned of his death." A man with long blond hair pulled up into a high ponytail spoke up. "I've heard that Orochimaru has already made another man as his right hand. He controls half of the forces of Shinja, second to a man named Kimimaro."

"I'm sure that would be Naruto." Another man spoke up. He sat next to a man with silver hair that fell over the left side of his face. The man who had spoken was older than most of the people there, his white hair was pulled back casually. What was striking was the pair of red streaks that ran down the each side of his face.

Sasuke suddenly recalled the moment that Naruto had drawn two bloody lines that trailed down his face. Did this man have something to do with him?

Murmurs and soft whispers echoed throughout the meeting room at the man's words and Tsunade held up her hand for silence. When no one paid attention to her, she slammed her hand down onto the table. The force of it sent the table vibrating. It was then Sasuke noticed the bright red spiral carved into the table, centering in the middle of the table and slowly moving outwards.

"It is a memory of the Uzumaki Clan." Ino said quietly from behind him. "They died tragically."

"Jiraiya, couldn't you have waited?" Tsunade frowned at the man. Jiriaya shrugged and folded his arms, leaning backwards in his chair.

"It is true that Naruto is in Orochimaru's possession. He took a great risk in going there but he has already decided his path." Tsunade said. "Like Arashi, Naruto is headstrong and stubborn. He will not sway when he has already made his decision." The next words that she spoke brought a chill to the air.

"Orochimaru is very good at manipulating people to bend to his will." Tsunade said, calmly. "If Naruto is turned against us, we will have to kill him."

"No!" The loud shout echoed throughout the room almost immediately. All eyes turned to look at him and he realized that he had shouted those words.

He was shaking, not from fear but in anger. Raising a hand up, he focused on his hand and then at the spiral on the table that was evident through his fingers. "We can not kill Naruto." Sasuke said, taking a deep breath. "There is no way I will let you."

"Please reconsider Hokage-sama." A man with a scar across the bridge of his nose pleaded. "He is the last surviving member of the Uzumaki Clan."

"If he is dangerous, he will be shut down." Tsunade replied, closing her eyes.

"I don't understand you." Sasuke said, coldly. "He is your own grandson! You are signing his death warrant."

"Shinzui must protect the people, Mr. Uchiha." Tsunade replied, smoothly. "The people have always come first."

"Then," Sasuke stood up from his seat. "Ryuujin will not join forces with you. We will infiltrate the snake's lair by ourselves."

"Sasuke!" Ino protested as she grabbed his arm.

"You are still young, Uchiha Sasuke." Tsunade told him. "You do not know your role in society."

"Hokage-sama, forgive me but I have to agree." The man with silver hair stood up and bowed respectfully. "But I can not go along with this unless Naruto is spared. He was my student and I believe in him."

"Hokage-sama." Hinata whispered, urgently as she shook Tsunade's shoulder. Tsunade sighed and nodded.

"Fine. Naruto will not be killed but if he has turned against us, Mr. Uchiha, you will know what to do." Tsunade said, meeting his eyes. Sasuke stiffened and gave a nod.

"I will do what I think is best." He replied, bowing respectfully.

* * *

The first thought that came to his mind was the darkness of the room and the smoothness of satin that he was lying in. He got up slowly as the events began coming back to him, memories that he was sure would haunt him for the rest of his life. The satin bed sheet slid like water from his shoulders and pooled at his waist. A stinging pain made him look down and touch his breastbone with gentle fingertips. 

It was a seal, shaped like three curving tear drops and black. It looked foreign against his bronze complexion.

I've sold my soul. He thought. No emotion welled up from inside of him. No regrets or guilt or fear. That emotionless feeling left him strangely disturbed.

He heard him walk across the room and the bed shifted as the man got onto it. Naruto slowly looked up, staring at the Shinja leader. The man was clothed in a dark robe and nothing else. The pale skin of his chest stood out against the darkness of the room.

"You are awake." Orochimaru smiled. "Does it hurt?'

"No." Naruto replied as his hand fell away. He slowly gripped the satin that pooled around his waist and lifted it slowly off of him, fully aware of his nakedness and the chill of the room. He was fully aware of the man's eyes hungrily drinking in the sight of him.

As he moved over slowly untying Orochimaru's robe, he was fully aware of the cold hands that roamed from his shoulders to the place below his waist. He was aware when his hands gripped the pale shoulders above him and the sweat that coated his brow.

He was fully aware when something intruded inside of him, bringing him a mixed feeling of pleasure and pain.

At long last, he was fully aware that he felt nothing at all.

* * *

TBC… 


	19. The Sun and Moon

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Admit Defeat

_Chapter 19: The Sun and Moon_

By: Kisu

Gaara was frustrated and when he was frustrated, he liked to kill.

Temari had hovered anxiously around him while Kankurou strayed behind, worried that that the taut hold on his anger would suddenly snap. These couple of days, all his loyal Drylanders treaded among him as if they were stepping on glass.

He hummed underneath his breath, a habit that he had taken a liking of and crossed his arms impatiently. His right foot tapped on the ground in sync with his humming and his brow furrowed as he stood near the window, scanning the desert for any signs of the men he had dispatched to gather information.

Word had gotten to them through various sources that Uzumaki Naruto had been captured by Orochimaru. Or rather, he had gone willingly to Orochimaru in exchange for Uchiha Sasuke.

Gaara growled, finding that he have begun to dislike the arrogant foster brother of Naruto's, more and more.

"Gaara. Why don't you sit down and have something to drink?" Temari suggested, soothingly.

He shot her a glare that could have withered flowers right on the spot. Temari paled and placed the glass back on the table, the ice cubes clinking against the sides as she did so.

The normally expressionless leader exhaled softly, and settled back into a calmer state. His facial features smoothed back into the stoic mask that he always wore. He seldom lost his cool, but the mask seemed to crack when it came to the antics of a particular idiotic blonde.

"I know you are worried, Gaara." Temari tried again. "But I'm sure it will be fine. Naruto can take care of himself."

"But not when he's with Orochimaru." Kankurou pointed out. Temari hissed softly underneath her breath and frowned at him. Kankurou coughed and wisely stayed silent.

Gaara glanced out the window again, his green eyes widening. "They're back," he commented coolly, as he swept past his siblings and out the door.

"Come on." Temari sighed. Kankurou stood up and together they followed their younger brother.

Sasuke sighed and cradled his head in his hands; he hadn't felt this weary in ages. Ever since he had promised alliance with the Shinzui, they had scheduled meetings after meetings to strategically break down Orochimaru's forces.

"Can we assign squad leaders already?" Kakashi demanded. Sasuke had learned that he had been a former professor of Naruto's. Normally, he was a pleasant man but today he was in a foul mood, just because he had missed the latest novel release in his favorite series.

"No." Shizune said sharply. "Not until, Lady Hokage receives all information on the enemy."

"Please calm down, Shizune." Iruka protested. He waved his hands in a reassuring manner. "Everyone is tired of all of this. But to ensure a high success rate and low casualties, Hokage-sama is doing the best she can."

"Speaking of the Lady Hokage," Hyuuga Hiashi crossed his arms. "Where is she?"

"Hokage-sama is occupied at the moment; she will be joining us shortly." Hinata murmured as she placed a hand on her father's shoulder.

"You said that an hour ago, Hinata." Her father frowned.

"Yes. But we do need to get an inside map of Orochimaru's estate and the Shinja company." Hinata explained, quietly. "We are trying to decide who we should send in to infiltrate the defenses."

Sasuke frowned and stood up, his chair scraping along the ground as he did so. "So, you are saying that all this time, we have been unable to acquire a map?"

"Yes." Hinata flushed, she anxiously twiddled her thumbs in a restless manner.

"So, these meetings were going nowhere?" Sasuke continued.

"Sasuke…" Neji frowned, disapprovingly.

"So, we haven't gotten a single thing done?" Sasuke asked, his voice rising.

"Stop acting like an ass, Sasuke." Ino scowled as she stood up. "Everyone is doing their best. Why don't you go into Orochimaru's lair and bring back information?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to reply when the door behind him slammed open. The metal door hit the wall and sent a dull vibration throughout the room.

"Uchiha." The voice was cold and emotionless.

Before Sasuke could turn around, he was thrown up against the wall, hands gripping at his shirt in an unforgiving hold.

"I trusted you." Gaara stared at him, green eyes burning with fury. "I trusted you to protect Naruto."

"Gaara!" Tsunade rushed in, followed by Jiraiya. "Unhand him at once!"

Gaara's grip tightened for a brief moment before he let go and Sasuke was dumped unceremoniously onto the ground. He swung around, eyes blazing as he scanned the room in one swift glance.

"You need someone to infiltrate the Orochimaru's defenses?" Gaara asked. When no one replied, he narrowed his eyes. "I will be back in two days." With that, he walked out, leaving everyone speechless.

Haku stared at a magazine, lazily stirring the spoon in his cappuccino. He had been sitting here for an hour and still no sign of his friend.

The waitress seemed a bit distressed and shot him a curious look every time she had walked pass the table.

Haku lifted his cup and took a sip, immediately grimacing at the taste of tepid coffee. He raised his hand and flagged down the waitress who came to him, with false cheer.

"I've been waiting for someone," he admitted as she stood by the table. "He always seems to arrive late and I guess it's a habit of his." The waitress gave a nod and Haku sighed, running a hand through his hair that he had left unbound.

He smiled charmingly and tilted his head to the side. "I would like a sandwich since I haven't eaten anything at all. Could you be a dear and recommend something for me?"

The waitress's eyes immediately softened. "Would you like a BLT sandwich?"

"That sounds delightful and could I please have a glass of orange juice?" Haku asked.

"Of course," she smiled before giving a glance at his cappuccino. "Would you like a new one?"

"No thank you, I'll just keep this one." Haku replied. The waitress nodded and walked away.

A few moments later, she returned with a bowl of warm tomato soup.

"This will warm you up better." She told him. "It's on the house."

"Oh, thank you." Haku told her, gratefully. She walked away again and as Haku picked up his spoon, the door to the diner chimed as it opened.

He looked up with a frown at the man he had been waiting for all this time.

Cool red eyes met his and Haku waved him over, studying his attire.

"Did you wait long?" The man asked as he took his hat off his head. Pale silver hair cascaded down and spilled onto his shoulders.

"I wait as long as I always wait." Haku replied, teasingly.

"I could not get away." The man explained as the waitress walked over with Haku's sandwich and his juice. She placed it on the table and glanced over at the newcomer, expectantly.

"I would like a coffee, please." The other man told her. "Black."

They watched as the waitress walked away and Haku turned his attention back to the man. "How is he doing, Kimimaro?" He asked, worriedly. "Is he eating okay? He hasn't been--."

"He has willingly accepted Orochimaru's advances." Kimimaro said, quietly. Haku stared at the spoon that he had forgotten he was holding and frowned. "He has also accepted Orochimaru's cursed seal."

"No." Haku looked up, shocked.

"If you want to save him, you should move fast." Kimimaro told him. "Even the men with the strongest of spirits will break in Orochimaru's fortress.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Haku murmured. He placed his spoon back onto the table, suddenly losing all of his appeal for the soup.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kimimaro said carefully. "…hasn't been this happy in awhile. The lust of power has corrupted him to become evil. He actually is a good man."

Haku snorted at this and took a sip of his orange juice. He pushed his sandwich toward Kimimaro who took off the top slice of bread and peered at its contents with curiosity.

"Everyone who touches their share of power becomes corrupted." Haku responded with a grimace.

Kimimaro looked up and sighed. "I believe that Uzumaki Naruto is the only one who can save him from the darkness."

"Orochimaru had once been next heir of a prestigious clan." Naruto's grandfather began, solemnly. "He grew up in a family of geniuses. His father had been a scientist working on genetics and his mother was a well known doctor. When he was in his early teens, his clan was massacred by his uncle."

Jiraiya sighed and clasped his hands together. "His uncle was younger than his father and been banished from the clan, after the head learned of his interest in the dark arts. When Orochimaru's clan was massacred, Orochimaru became obsessed with the dark arts and strove to find a method of reviving his clan."

"Orochimaru's uncle died mysteriously due to an unknown illness and after that, Orochimaru distanced himself away from Tsunade and me. He began to develop his own clan and worked toward creating the perfect soldiers that would produce an indestructible force."

"He took in people that were like him, those who sought an escape from the harsh life that fate has thrown them into." Jiraiya continued. "After the birth of Naruto and Gaara, we knew that we would have to take the matter into our own hands. We were the ones who sent out orders to take Naruto and Gaara away from Orochimaru."

"The Hokage Clan had an ally known as the Kazekage Clan." Tsunade cut in smoothly. "It was a dominant clan who boldly risked their lives trying to uncover Orochimaru's hidden intentions. Thinking that it was a huge risk, the Hokage Clan sent its branch clan to aid the Kazekage Clan."

"The two clans pledged their devotion to Orochimaru and two women of the Hime Clan willingly carried Gaara and Naruto for Orochimaru. The plan was to give birth to the boys and take them away as soon as possible."

"The Uzumaki Clan and the Kazekage Clan would then, wipe out Orochimaru's Clan from the inside out." Tsunade frowned and shook her head. "But, Orochimaru found out of this plan and he kept Gaara and Naruto under heavy surveillance."

"…And when they came of age that was suitable for Orochimaru…" Iruka murmured, quietly.

"The Kazekage Clan and the Uzumaki Clan was brutally murdered." Kakashi finished.

"Oh no." Sakura paled considerably and she glanced at Sasuke who had listened to everything with his eyes closed. The Ryuujin gang leader had told all his trusted leaders to accompany him to one of the last meetings that Shinzui would hold.

"Gaara's siblings escaped with Gaara whereas Naruto was given into custody of Uchiha Kenji." Ino's father, Inoshi spoke up. "But as the years progressed, we kept watching them, making sure Orochimaru would not make any sudden moves."

"Wait a second." Shikamaru turned to look at his father. "Is that why you drilled me so much when I got home from school?"

"All of you were trained to recognize Naruto and Gaara's behavior. Just in case, they did turn against us." Shikato said, calmly. "Iruka became a teacher at one of the most important stages of your life, in order to monitor their behavior."

"So, they were just a science project to you all?" Tenten gasped as she clenched her fists. "How could you?"

"That's not fair!" Chouji frowned.

"It is your duty to protect Konoha." Tsunade lectured in disapproval. "Even though, Naruto is my grandson – the safety of the people comes first."

"That's bull!" Kiba roared. "Family is what comes first; no one gives a damn about your duty."

"If you are asking us to turn our backs on Naruto, after all the things he has done for us." Sakura protested. "You are asking the wrong people!"

"This is not a request, it is an order." Tsunade replied, sharply. The tension in the air became thick and hung over them heavily.

"I refuse." Sasuke said, cutting the silence coldly. "I have told you once that Naruto will not be killed. Ryuujin will break the pact with Shinzui if you will not listen to reason."

"Uchiha-san!" Shizune protested from beside Tsunade.

"I think that he is right." Hinata said, quietly. "Naruto means too much to me, and I will not release any information that will hurt him." Shizune turned her shocked gaze toward the young women.

"Hinata!" Hiashi stood up, angrily. "Do you know what you are doing?"

"She knows exactly what she is doing." Neji responded. "Gaara and Naruto are no different than any of us. If you thought they were a threat, you should have killed them twenty years ago."

"But that fact is, none of you were heartless enough to sentence a child to death." Sasuke whispered. His dark eyes flashed and he calmly got up onto his feet. "The next meeting will be our last one. "Haku will contact me as soon as he finishes his meeting with Kimimaro and Gaara should be back tomorrow."

Sasuke suddenly resembled his father in both heart and spirit. Uchiha Kenji had been an unyielding man who believed in the will of the people.

Everyone watched in silence as the young man gave a final sweeping glance across the room before walking out the door. His inner circle followed behind him and Shino was the last one to shut the door.

Tsunade sighed and dropped back into her chair. She suddenly felt older than her age.

"Uchihas." Jiraiya snorted.

The moon was round that night and it shone down with an ethereal light onto the man who stood next to the window. He wore a white silk robe that fell to his knees like silver moonbeams. The belt was tied loosely around his waist and his hair was disheveled.

But it was eerie, his whole being reflected the light of the sun and the night played with his features, making them seem dark when it wasn't. There was only one person who reminded him of the night and the name died on his lips as he heard movement from behind him.

"Uzumaki."

He was surprised but not too surprised. He had known that Gaara would have shown up sooner or later, demanding explanations in his stoic way. Naruto shifted so that half of his body was illuminated from the light coming through the open window. His curtains that blended in with the darkness of the room, ruffled softly as a slight breeze wafted in and teased his hair.

"Gaara." He replied, simply as he opened his eyes and gazed at him in expectation. The red head seemed startled, because his jade green eyes widened dramatically, and caused the kohl lines around his eyes to look not as thick.

With quick strides, the other man approached him and a hand slowly reached up to trace the whisker marks of the visible side of his face. Fingers brushed against each of the marks before trailing down his neck and to the seal on his breastbone.

"Your eyes..." Gaara said absently as he traced the seal with a finger. The seal was of three curved teardrops that met in the middle. "…are not the same."

"They aren't." Naruto replied before closing his eyes again. Gaara pushed him none too gently against the wall and brushed his lips against his. A tongue licked the edge of his lower lip and Naruto slowly opened his mouth, granting him entrance.

Gaara's tongue plunged in with a demand that made Naruto fist Gaara's shirt roughly, exploring the cavity furiously before retreating. Dazed, Naruto opened his eyes just in time to see Gaara spit and run his tongue roughly for the back of his hand.

"You taste like him." Gaara said, accusingly. Naruto met his gaze calmly and tilted his head slightly.

"Yeah." Naruto answered, simply. Gaara frowned before digging into his pocket for a box of cigarettes. He offered one to Naruto who took it was a curious look on his face. After they lit them, Naruto inhaled deeply and sighed. "It's been awhile."

"Ryuujin is coming." Gaara said after a long bout of silence. Naruto shifted so he could look at the moon again.

"Let them come." Naruto replied, quietly.

"Are you leaving?" Gaara asked.

"I belong to Orochimaru now." Naruto said as he crushed the butt of his cigarette between his fingers. Gaara narrowed his eyes and walked towards him. A hand rested on the windowsill as Gaara gave him a last glance.

"Take care." Gaara said simply. His gaze was expressionless but Naruto knew that Gaara was concerned. Naruto's blank expression slowly melted as he smiled tenderly.

"Of course," he said quietly.

With that, Gaara jumped out the window and Naruto watched as the figure fled into the night.

When he was finally gone, Naruto closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. When he opened them again, his eyes were red, reflecting a crimson eeriness that would leave the bravest of men shaking in their boots.

He had been given a lot of time to think while he resided in Orochimaru's mansion. The walls of the estate were foreboding and he could sense the malevolence that radiated off of them.

At times, he was glad that Sasuke was not behind these walls. He was glad that Sasuke was not the one walking through the empty dark hallways with only the sound of your own footsteps for company. He was glad that Sasuke was not the one who Orochimaru came to, almost every night.

Because he knew, in the end, Sasuke would break.

He shivered.

There was a chill in the night's air and it brought with it unforgiving darkness. The darkness that he was sure was slowly devouring his heart.

He had not seen the sun in a week and the absence of its glowing warmth was making him feel insecure. But it was only an option, for he left the heavy drapery over the windows until the sun went down.

The moon.

Naruto glanced at the pale orb in the sky, bringing its scarce light onto the earth with a glory that threatened to banish the shadows. It was full tonight, and he could make out the slight grey marks of distant craters on the otherwise porcelain surface.

The moon was in fact, imperfect, but it continued to radiate cooler warmth in opposition of the sun.

But the moon could only last with the sun in the sky. The sun was the warmth that the moon radiated it at night. Their destinies were entwined together.

Such like the similar to the fate of Sasuke and him.

"If the sun dies," he whispered, under his breath. "Can the moon live on?"

"_No, Naruto. The moon will not survive without the sun."_

"So then, if the moon dies, will the sun die?"

"_No, everything depends on the sun. But the darkness will be unforgiving without the moon."_

"What if the sun tries to take on the role of the moon?"

"_That cannot happen. The moon is the moon and the sun is the sun."_

Naruto closed his eyes and tightened his grip on the heavy curtains beside the window.

"_Just like you are Naruto and Sasuke is Sasuke."_

Vaguely, Naruto wondered if he was going crazy.

"Itachi-nii. I love the moon." Naruto breathed as he closed his eyes, basking in the moonbeams as it washed over him in a cool sensation.

"_I know, and the moon loves the sun."_

_Kisu._

A/N: Okay I lied; this fic will not be finished at Chapter 20. I decided to rewrite the ending and actually write in some content.

Thank you for reading! I've been working on my grammar. XD


	20. Serenity

_Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me._

Admit Defeat

_Chapter Twenty: Serenity_

_"Sasuke." _

The man that was sprawled on the couch opened his eyes slowly, basking in the quietness of the house. His eyes, ebony depths, held a trace of confusion as he slowly sat up.

The house had been quiet before.

On bright days like these, Itachi would generously give the household help the day off. Then, Itachi would go to work while he wandered around the house, basking in the silent serenity.

Everything was the same, except Itachi wasn't here. Naruto wasn't here.

He was alone.

_"Sasuke."_

On days like these, he would have found Naruto in the library. His favorite chair was an overstuffed one that Father had always sat in, placed right next to the tall glass window. Naruto would look up at him when he entered; giving him a smile that instantly brightened the sober atmosphere of the room.

_"Come here, Sasuke! Sit next to me!"_

He would walk over. His footsteps echoing softly in the large room, filled with yellowed books, cobwebs that had missed the wrath of a duster, and quiet memories that was still left to be remembered.

_"Naruto, what are you reading?"_

Naruto would scoot over, giving him space to sit next to him in the large armchair. Sasuke would sit next to him and Naruto would instantly lean against him, his blue eyes bright with happiness.

_"Look. It's a romance novel. I found it in the back of the library."_

"…_A romance novel?"_

Naruto laughed at the look on his face before snuggling closer to him.

_"It's about two people. The woman captures the heart of a compassionless man. But the woman is cursed, and she cannot love the man."_

"_Why?"_

"_She does not know how to love." _

"_That shouldn't matter."_

"_Sasuke! You're not romantic at all!" _

He blinked, zoning back to the present and shook his head before getting up onto his feet. At a time like this, and he was remembering the past. It was a past that had left him with high hopes for the future.

_"Sasuke." _

He heard that same voice calling him again. His lips thinned out in a tight line as he ascended the stairs to the library.

He paused at the head of the stairs, fingers brushing against the banister as he walked slowly toward the double doors that were closed.

But they weren't. One of them was ajar, beckoning him with a sliver of sunshine that spread along the ground. With a deep breath, he pushed the door wide opened and his heart fluttered in his chest as the sunshine coming through the window momentarily blinded him.

"Naruto!" He called, his voice echoing in the dusty room.

He placed a foot into the room, than another. His eyes roamed the through the library before landing on the overstuffed armchair by the window. With a sigh, he walked towards it and sat down unceremoniously.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting it rest against the soft material of the upholstery.

"Wow, it's so dusty."

His eyes shot open, staring at the figure before him. His fingers tightened on the armrests as he scanned the room quickly before falling back onto the speaker.

He stood in front of him, the sunshine falling onto his golden hair and his blue eyes matching the color of the sky outside the tall window.

"Naruto," he croaked.

Naruto paused in his examination of the library and turned to face him. He tilted his head slightly, out of habit when someone called his name. A questioning glance was directed at him and Sasuke slowly reached forward.

Naruto, still puzzled, did the same. He extended his arm and held his hand in mid-air, watching as Sasuke's fingers closed over his.

"Warm." Sasuke whispered, his eyes wide as Naruto continued to watch him. "You're warm."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Naruto laughed.

Sasuke got onto his feet and pulled. Naruto tumbled into his arms, after being tugged off-balance. He tightened his arms around him, breathing in the scent of his hair. Naruto was in his arms. He was warm.

Warm like the sunshine.

"I love you," he murmured, placing a soft kiss on Naruto's forehead. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Sasuke." Naruto responded, quietly. Naruto pulled back and placed his hands on his face, his thumbs smoothing over his cheekbones lovingly. "I have to tell you something, so don't be mad at me."

"I'll never be mad at you." Sasuke argued, staring into his eyes.

"Liar," he laughed as he leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "You'll be mad."

"Why?"

Naruto paused and looked up, meeting his eyes with his sad gaze.

Suddenly the room became quieter and Naruto voice sounded far away.

_"...Because when you wake up, I'll be gone."_

His dark eyes snapped open, and he frowned as he was temporarily blinded by the sunlight streaming in through the tall window.

He exhaled softly when he realized that he had fallen asleep in the old armchair. The sun was warm. Its rays embraced him like a lover would do.

_"Sasuke."_

He yawned and got to his feet, stretching his arms high above him.

_"Sasuke, I love you."_

Then, he turned and walked back toward the doors.

"Do you?"

He glanced once behind him, before stepping out into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

The library stood silent once again as the sunshine shone through the window.

Sakura sat idly as she watched Ino flit about, distributing last minute orders to her division. The blonde had changed so much from the old Ino she once knew. Not only has she become a successful journalist, she was also very strong. In fact everyone in the Hime gang was strong.

_I envy you._

"Sakura?" Ino turned around, her long ponytail whipping slightly in the sudden motion. In trance, she reached out and grasped a few tendrils of her hair from the ponytail that fell over a shoulder.

"Ino," she murmured as she studied those pale strands before looking up and meeting her best friend's eyes. "I won't lose to you."

Ino's eyes widened before she gave a short laugh under her breath and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad to hear it."

Sakura dropped her hand back into her lap and leaned back in the chair she currently sat in. "How are things with Shikamaru?"

Ino's eyes darkened and she scoffed. "He's lazy." Ino's eyes shifted as she looked away and stared hard at a spot on the ground. "We haven't really talked from our last fight. Sometimes he calls me, but I won't answer."

"Why?" Sakura gripped the fabric of her skirt. "Why won't you let someone love you?"

"Sakura…" Ino sighed.

"I wish…" Sakura whispered and faltered as her voice cracked. She licked her lips and tried again. "I wish I had someone to love me too."

_Like Sasuke._

"You're not thinking of Sasuke again, are you?" Ino asked with a frown. Sakura looked up with tears in her eyes.

"It's just that, he always took care of me," she choked. "And I tried to make him happy ever since Naruto left but…but…I just wish he would just smile at me. I want him to smile at me like he smiles at Naruto!"

"Their bond has always been the deepest." Ino replied, slowly. "Sasuke knows Naruto like Naruto knows Sasuke."

"I wish I was stronger, Ino." Sakura finally admitted. "So I can protect them and keep them next to me. I wish I was strong like you."

"Sakura," Ino knelt down and placed a hand over her clasped ones. "You are strong too. All you have to do is believe in yourself."

"Ino." Sakura looked up with a start.

"I am not strong, Sakura. I fear being rejected and for Shikamaru…" Ino trailed off for a moment. "I don't want to lose him. I'm afraid that one day, he might get killed or I'll get killed. I don't want either of us to suffer."

"You're so troublesome."

Ino jolted up onto her feet and gasped as strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her backwards. She looked up and stared into Shikamaru's face.

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?" he asked, as he turned her around. Ino closed her eyes and buried her nose into his chest, inhaling the familiar smell of his leather jacket. "Even if you keep running, I'll find a way to catch you."

"I hate you," she whispered as Shikamaru's arms tightened around her.

Sakura sighed and stood up, walking away from the couple. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't notice that she had walked into someone's path and collided with them.

"Are you all right?" Hands reached out to steady her and she looked up to see…the thickest eyebrows ever. His outfit was made with a green lightweight material of an open shirt and long pants. Tied around his middle was a white sash, its ends falling just below his knees.

"I-I'm fine," she managed as she forced her voice to work.

"You should watch where you are going." Another voice cut in. Sakura glanced to the left and tensed when she met a familiar pair of green eyes.

"Gaara." The first man frowned. "That's not nice."

Gaara turned away in disinterest as he spotted his sister from afar. "Let's go."

"I'll see you later." The man told her. "Gaara isn't really like that; he's just worried about the war."

Sakura swallowed and allowed a hysterical giggle escape her mouth.

"I don't think he'll like that if he hears that," she said. The man grinned, flashing a set of perfect white teeth and winked.

"I'm Rock Lee from the Lotus division of the Shuuken." The man introduced.

"Shuuken?" Sakura repeated, slowly.

"Oh, that's why the Drylanders used to be called when it was the branch of the Kazekage clan." Lee explained.

"I think…that Shuuken sounds much better." Sakura smiled.

"I think so too." Lee laughed. "When this is all over, do you want to grab lunch or something?"

Sakura stared at him and lowered her eyes shyly. "I think I'd like that."

He didn't know if it was the darkness of the confined mansion that changed Naruto or it was the true characteristics that he had been masking all this time. From the first time he had seen Naruto and talked to him, there had been a gradual change in the blonde's attitude.

"Where are we going?"

"Breakfast."

"Why?"

"Because I want pancakes."

"Fuck, you dragged me out of bed for that?"

Naruto was not polite anymore, or coldly polite in his case. He had become crude and snappish whenever someone talked to him.

"You needed some sun."

Naruto cursed colorfully and stared out the window as the car drove past a few more streets until it pulled up in front of a small diner. They stepped out of the car and Kimimaro's gaze lingered on the seal seen through the opened collar that Naruto had left unbuttoned.

"You've changed Naruto," he commented as they slid into a booth, once inside. He noticed that the waitress that had served him when he with Haku wasn't here today.

"Why did you bring me here?" Naruto asked, leaning back upon the vinyl upholstery. He stared at his menu and raised an eyebrow. "Itachi was the only one who liked pancakes in the family." He turned to stare out the window, the menu drooping lifelessly in his hands.

Kimimaro cleared his throat and Naruto turned back to him and closed his menu.

"It's my treat." Kimimaro offered in an attempt to appease the blonde.

"It better be." He snorted. "There's no way in hell I'll pay since you dragged me out of bed."

The waitress came over with her notepad, her auburn curls tucked into a neat bun on the top of her head. Kimimaro ordered two breakfast specials and coffee.

"Orochimaru is finalizing his plans, are you ready?" Kimimaro asked, quietly. Naruto glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before sliding his gaze back to the window. "Are you willing to be his scapegoat?"

"The world is beautiful, don't you think?" Naruto asked as his expression softened. "Sitting inside this diner, you're in a different world with a different perspective. The windows make it so that you are observing and no matter how much you long to be out there, you can't."

"Naruto…" Kimimaro frowned.

"Death would be wonderful," he continued with a faraway look in his eyes. "I'll welcome its peaceful darkness. It will be like a sleep that I don't have to wake from."

"What about now?" Kimimaro asked.

"A nightmare," he responded, turning his head so that his eyes could focus on his. A cold chill went down Kimimaro's spine as he gazed into those eyes. They were filled with the haunting cold of despair, pain, and anger.

The waitress came back with their breakfast specials, setting the small plates of pancakes on the side before setting down another plate that contained eggs, sausage, and hash browns. Kimimaro thanked her while she poured them each a cup of coffee and walked away.

"Let's eat." Kimimaro said, picking up his fork. Naruto did the same and drenched his pancakes in syrup. "Are you willing to kill your brother?"

Naruto paused, his fork speared with two fluffy pancake triangles in the air. The syrup glistened on the surface, threatening to slide down the end of the fork and onto Naruto's fingers.

Kimimaro took a sip of coffee from his mug and placed it back on the table. He sat back in the diner's cheap vinyl booth and studied the blonde's expression carefully.

Blank.

"Do you love him?" he asked softly, trying to use a different tactic.

Naruto raised his eyes from his fork, not minding as the syrup coated the tips of his fingers from being held motionless for so long. When he met his gaze, Kimimaro was startled.

"I don't know how to love." Naruto smiled.

It was a deliciously fake smile, coated with a confection of lies that made up the mask that he had seen Naruto wear before.

It was the mask that made up the Naruto that everyone knew.

Not the Naruto that sat in front of him.

This Naruto was crying inside.

The atmosphere was tense in the meeting room as Tsunade strolled in. She breathed out slowly as she approached the only empty seat at the table, her honey-brown eyes tracing the solemn faces around her.

"Orochimaru is currently overseas until the end of the week." Tsunade said. "Gaara has given us a map of the inside of the house and its surroundings."

"Did anyone see you?" It was Ino's father who had spoken up, Yamanaka Inoshi.

"Yes." Gaara replied in a passive tone. "But they were quickly eliminated."

"What about the bodies?" Inoshi demanded.

"I took care of it." Gaara said. His voice was once again, emotionless.

"What is the plan?" Sasuke's voice cut in smoothly through air, silencing all the murmurs that had rose at Gaara's statement.

"We will move in tomorrow night." Tsunade said, wearily. "And take down Shinja's headquarters."

"And Naruto?" Sasuke asked, softly. Tsunade turned her head and met Sasuke's eyes.

"If he becomes a threat, then he will be eliminated."

Sasuke's turned his gaze toward the center of the table, studying the spiral craved into the wood. His fingers twitched, grazing the surface of the table as if he could feel the power that radiated outwards from it.

The next words that left his lips sent a chill in the air.

"Leave him to me."

* * *

** 3/Kisu.**


End file.
